Letters Lead to Love
by Ruby4
Summary: Lily and James have been writing to each other with fake names ever since fourth year.They made a promise not to meet till sixth year...why haven't they even ran into each other at Hogwarts?Oh but they have and they hate each other!AUish!
1. Chapter 1:Beggining of sixth year

Disclaimer: I OWN NOTHING!  
  
A/N: Here's the first chappie! Altogether there will be about ten chaps to this story! R&R please!!  
  
Lily Evans a sixth year prefect searched for the compartment in which her friends might be sitting in. She stared at a letter in her hand lovingly.  
  
Dear Elizabeth, I can't wait. This is THE YEAR. I've waited so long to meet you. Well I must be of to find my friends. Sorry to make the letter a bit short. Love Jeremy.  
  
Lily smiled and pocketed the letter. She'd been in contact with Jeremy over wizard net (A/N: Exactly like internet except instead of a computer there's a book and you write with a Quill.) ever since the summer before fourth year. From the first time they talked Lily fell instantly in love with him. Lily was sure he was the one. She'd written in one of her letter to him that even though she hasn't seen him she knew him inside out even though she hadn't met him.  
  
They'd made a pact though not to meet until the sixth year ball. That was why he called her Elizabeth and she him Jeremy. That way they wouldn't know who the other person was. It had been more like a test of their love to see if they could wait until sixth year. And sixth year had just started. Lily felt as if she'd have to wait ages until the ball . She opened a compartment door and found her friends sitting there. Andrea Wilson with brown hair, gray eyes an oval shaped face. She was one of Lilys best friends and the other was Cassidy Black. Cassidy Black was Sirius Blacks twin sister. She had black hair down to her back and dark blue eyes. Guys practically threw themselves at the trios feet. Lily herself was no less then her two friends. She had fiery red hair down to her waist, emerald green eyes and ivy skin. "Lily!" Cassidy exclaimed jumping up. "How are you?"  
  
"Fine." Lily replied smiling. The door opened and the four marauders entered. Lilys grin was wiped of her face as she saw James Potter enter. She hated him and he hated her. No questions asked. From day one Lily had taken an immediate disliking to him which was increased after she saw how irresponsible he was. Always playing pranks and losing points.  
  
"Hi Sirius!" Lily exclaimed and gave him a hug. He was like her older brother and Lily loved him to no ends.  
  
"Lils! How've you been?" he asked.  
  
"Fine." Said Lily and went to give Remus a hug. She even gave little Peter a hug. To the boys she was like their younger sister as Cassidy, her and andrea were so close. The three were close friends with the marauders.  
  
Sirius had black hair, brown eyes and always kept his hair tied back in a small pony tail. Sirius was usually the wild and wacky one of the group. He always did crazy things. Remus was more down to earth and took precautions. He had light brown hair, hazel eyes and was also a werewolf. They had all found out in second year and James, Sirius and Peter had become anigmagus to help him. They had 'conviently' not told the girls about their plans and had become anigmagus in fifth year. Lily had found out one night when she saw Sirius transforming.  
  
Peter was small, fat and the little baby of the group. He had glassy blue eyes which Lily was sure weren't as innocent as they looked. He WAS a marauder after all.  
  
Then there was James. Lily loathed him, he loathed her. Neither of them had a problem with this. They only sat in the same room with each other because they had the same friends. James had messy black hair, chocolate colored eyes and a muscular build. He was also Quidditch captain of Gryffindor.  
  
The marauders (all except Peter) were THE cutest boys in school and Sirius and James usually had another girlfriend every week. Remus was different. When he kept a girlfriend he kept her for a long time before breaking it with her. He wasn't a flirt like his other two friends. Peter couldn't get a girl to go out with him unless James or Sirius or Remus asked one to go with Peter.  
  
"Potter." Said Lily acknowledging his presence.  
  
"Evans." Said James back to her. He then sat down beside Cassidy and started to play exploding snap. Lily got a parchment out and started to write. Sirius spotted her and grabbed the letter out of her hand,  
  
"Ohhhh Lily what's this?" he asked teasingly.  
  
"Non of your business." Lily replied.  
  
"Lily's got a crush, Lilys got a crush." Said Sirius in a sing song voice.  
  
James started to laugh.  
  
"Ms. Heart of stone have a crush?" don't make me laugh." He said.  
  
"It's true. Look." Sirius cleared his throat. "Dearest J-"  
  
Lily snatched the letter out of Siriuses hand.  
  
"Don't you ever EVER read my mail again." Said Lily angrily. She then stalked out of the compartment.  
  
"Someone's PMSing." Sirius muttered.  
  
"PMS was last week!" Lily replied through the half open compartment door.  
  
"I didn't need to know that." Said Sirius going red.  
  
Lily shook her head and entered a compartment belonging to a couple of her roommates.  
  
"Hi Lily!" said Kayla. She had blonde hair and blue eyes.  
  
"Hi." Said Lily. "You guys mind if I sit here for awhile?"  
  
The three girls shook their heads. Patricia who had brown hair and brown eyes had the hugest crush on James.  
  
"So Lily hows James?" she asked.  
  
"Dunno, don't care, I wish he'd drown in the Hogwarts lake." Lily replied writing out the ending of her letter. She used her owl she'd rented to send it.  
  
"Lily God forbid!" said Patricia. Lily rolled her eyes and got up.  
  
"No Lily sit with us." Said Kayla.  
  
"I'd rather not." Said Lily. "I have to go kill Sirius."  
  
The three girls giggled and waved bye to Lily who enetered back into her copartment to see James sitting of in a corner reading something.  
  
"Back from hell?" asked Sirius. Lily glared.  
  
Sirius coward under her gaze. "How about I get you a crunchy chocolate frog and we'll call it even?" he asked.  
  
Lilys eyes lit up. She loved chocolate frogs. The crunchy kind that is that had nuts inside of them.  
  
"O.K." said Lily happily and sat down. "Which reminds me Sirius where can you find those?" asked James. "I need to get them for.someone."  
  
"they're hard to find." Said Sirius knowingly. "I get mine from Mr. Zonko. He orders them specially for me."  
  
"And who do you get them for?" asked Lily to Sirius. Sirius shrugged. "Incase a nut like you gets mad at me."  
  
"Hey!" Lily protested.  
  
"Just kidding." Said Sirius and handed a CCF to her(crunchy chocolate frog). Lily opened it to find it empty.  
  
"SIRIUS!" she yelled angrily.  
  
* * *  
  
All of them entered the Great hall and Lily was surprised to see James pinning a prefect badge onto his robes.  
  
"Pay them again to be prefect Potter?" Lily muttered. James glared at her but didn't reply.  
  
Then "I don't have to waste my time talking to you. You don't deserve even an insult from me." With that he walked ahead of her.  
  
Lily felt like hitting him hard.  
  
'If only I could slap him silly.' Lily thought to herself. 'Then he'd get some sense knocked into him.'  
  
She walked over and sat next to Cassidy.  
  
"Cass why are you going all goo goo eyed at Remus?" asked Lily interestedly as Andrea giggled.  
  
"She's been staring at him for ages." Said Andrea as Cassidy's head snapped back to attention.  
  
She went extremely red and concentrated on her empty plate.  
  
"Can't we skip the sorting?" Sirius whined as first years filed into the hall.  
  
Andrea rolled her eyes and stared across at the Slytherin table.  
  
"Lily." Andrea giggled. "Snapes staring at you again." Lily turned and saw Severus Snape staring at her in a daze.  
  
"Why?" Lily moaned. "Why me?"  
  
It was common knowledge that Snape had a crush on Lily the size of Texas. He gave her small trinkets which Lily would always return and even CCfs which Lily would with pained expressions return to him. Ofcourse Snape wasn't the only one. Lily had refused every single boy who'd ever asked her out since fourth year started. She did have dates for ball as to not arouse any suspicion but it was either with Remus if he didn't have a girlfriend. Then they'd go out as friends or with Bryan Clearwater who was a friend of hers. She didn't want to arouse suspicion because then Jeremy might find out who she is. But it was common knowledge that a date with Lily Evans was tough to get. And that was why boys died for her. They'd go out of their way to get a date with her. And Lily would simply refuse them.  
  
A small red rose fell onto her empty plate. A note was tied to it.  
  
To the freshest flower in the garden Lily,  
  
Love, Severus.  
  
James turned to look over at Cassidy and Andrea who'd let out a snort of laughter that echoed through the hall.  
  
Everyone turned to look at the owners of the voices and got scoldings' of settle down from McGonagoll.  
  
Lily turned red and put her head in her hands as things settled down and Sirius took the liberty of taking the rose away and reading the note attached to it. Lily looked up to see all four marauders shaking with silent laughter.  
  
"Priceless this is." James whispered chuckling.  
  
"You guys are never going to let me live this down are you?" asked Lily miserably. All four shook their heads and James suddenly paled.  
  
"I just remembered something I have to go and do!" he whispered fiercely and got up to leave.  
  
"Mr. Potter sit back down." Said McGonagoll.  
  
"I er.have to go to the bathroom." Said James quickly and left.  
  
"Lucky stiff got out of watching the sorting." Sirius mumbled as Natalie Jamson was made a hufflepuff. A small owl entered the hall again and dropped a note and package on Lilys empty plate.  
  
"Seem to be getting a lot of letters eh Lily?" asked Olivia Watson a fifth year fellow prefect. She also new about Jeremy as did Cassidy and Andrea.  
  
"Oh the last one was from Snape." Said Lily. "This one should be more promising."  
  
Lily read the letter, which had nothing much written on it except that Jeremy was fine, and etc. She opened the long thin dark blue package to see a silver bracelet. It had little round glowing charms on it. There were different colored spheres with glowing mists inside of them. She especially liked a green one with an emerald mist in it.it matched her eyes.  
  
"Wow." Lily breathed.  
  
"Lily those bracelets are really expensive. The mist inside them is the breath of a dragon. If you break one sphere they say the mist can save a person from dieing." Said Cassidy.  
  
"Jeremy must be rich.VERY rich.I'm talking like James Potter rich." Said Andrea matter of factly. Natalie gently took the bracelet from Lilys hand and studied it. A small thought flashed across Lilys mind that she quickly dismissed.  
  
James Potter be Jeremy McGregor? As if.  
  
* * *  
  
James was on his way back to the Great hall. In his hand he held a letter from Elizabeth.dear Elizabeth. He'd been writing to her through owl and wizard net since the summer before fourth year. But he couldn't stop going out with girls all of a sudden.it would've aroused suspicion and Elizabeth would've found out who he was. It had taken them all of summer to actually tell each other they liked each other and then admitting how they lied about their names. Then they fell in love after a longer period of time and well here he was.  
  
They could read each others minds and as a test they decided not to meet.until now. The sixth year Christmas ball which James eagerly awaited. He had just sent her a bracelet. She'd wear it the night of the Christmas ball.he'd asked her to. He entered the great hall to see that everyone had began eating. A snort of laughter came from the Gryffindor table and James narrowed his eyes at the owner of it.Lily Evans. The most stuck up, stupidest, goody two shoe, snitch, perfect prefect, McGonagolls favorite, shoe in for head girl of the school.. atleast in his eyes that was what she was. And he hated her. She'd always been mean to him.why should he be nice to her? He had to admit though that during first year he'd had a small crush on her.until he got to know her better. She never talked to him no matter how hard he tried to be friendly. This angered him. He smiled at the thought of someone spilling juice all over her robes.  
  
  
  
A/N: Next chapter will be better I promise!! 


	2. Chapter 2:Remus and Cassidy

Disclaimer: I OWN NOTHING! Oh and the quotes and poems are all from different places that I just picked up. Some are from websites, some are from books and others are from the top of my head. But most quotes will be from firehotquotes.com. Just making that clear.  
  
A/N: I KNOW it took me sometime to post this but its being co-written with my friend (which might explain why the writing style will be kind of different) and she usually only comes over on weekends so don't expect updates unless it's a weekend! Ok? Ok. Now on with the chapter which is (hopefully) waayyy better than the last one. Also I tried to make it less cliché' and avoided high school clique's like in my last story NANL. That one had waayy to many cliques. OK on with the story.  
  
As the days progressed everyone began to settle down into his or her usual school routine and Lily with growing anticipation waited for the school ball. Everyday students were getting letters saying their parents had been killed by Voldemort and everyone lived in terror of getting a black owl. Lily sat with everyone doing her homework. The nip of her quill broke.  
  
"Damn." She muttered and reached for one of the quills resting on the middle of the table which was cluttered with parchments, books, ink, quills etc. Her hand went on top of a quill as another came over hers. She looked up to see deep brown eyes staring at her. Lily quickly grabbed the quill and pulled her hand away as if it was on fire. James took a quill and went back to his own work.  
  
"Hey Lils who was Griphook?" asked Natalie.  
  
"The leader of the goblin rebellion." Said Lily. Natalie nodded and went on with her history of magic homework.  
  
"Done!" announced Lily and James triumphantly at the same time. They changed their smiles into glares directed towards each other. Lily took a book out and began to read. An owl landed beside Lily. Lily took the letter from its leg and read it.  
  
"Mum replied to my letter." Said Lily happily. Her face soon fell though. "Oh no she wants me to come home for Christmas."  
  
"So who's keeping you?" asked Remus tearing his eyes away from Cassidy.  
  
"Christmas ball." Said Lily promptly.  
  
"Speaking of the ball anyone got dates yet?" asked Sirius.  
  
"No." said Andrea and Cassidy.  
  
"Oh this is so not fair." Said Natalie. "I wish I was a sixth year."  
  
"Yea but you're a prefect and therefore HAVE to attend the ball." Said Lily.  
  
"Still.it won't be the same. I mean most of my friends won't be there." Said Natalie.  
  
"What about us?" asked Cassidy pretending to be hurt.  
  
Natalie laughed. "Ofcourse you guys'll be there but I won't know anyone else that well.get it?"  
  
Cassidy nodded.  
  
"Speaking of your friends Nat I think they're calling you." Said Lily looking over to where Natalies friends were beckoning her to come join them. Natalie got up and after saying goodnight left.  
  
"I-I think I'm going to go to madam Pomfreys." Said Remus. "I don't feel well."  
  
Lily gave him a sympathetic look. "The full moon is in a few days.maybe that's why."  
  
Remus nodded.  
  
"You want me to come with you?" asked Cassidy turning a light shade of red but obviously concerned for her friend.  
  
Remus shrugged. "Sure." He replied. Cassidy got up and left with him. Sirius looked quizzically at them. He was overly protective of his twin sister and Lily was sure Sirius wouldn't approve of her going out with ANYONE.unless maybe if it was Remus. Then again Remus WAS a marauder.  
  
Andrea looked down at her essay. "Lils?" she asked slyly  
  
"No." Lily replied without looking up.  
  
"Please?" Andrea pouted.  
  
"No do your own essay." Said Lily.  
  
"Just let me copy half.come on what are best friends for?"  
  
"Here." Said James handing his over. "Evans here doesn't know how to be a best friend."  
  
"At least I'm better at it than you." Lily retorted and snatched his essay away from Andrea. "She'll never learn anything if you spoon feed her."  
  
"But she needs help." Said James giving his essay back to Andrea.  
  
"Then teach her." Lily retorted.  
  
"Why don't you let her just copy?" James exploded.  
  
"If you think that's being a true friend Potter then you're wrong. Remember you let her copy your homework and you've only helped her once but if you let her do her own homework she'll learn something and you've helped her for a lifetime." Lily snapped.  
  
"Whatever Ms. Perfect Prefect.." James muttered running his hands through his hair. It was clear that he understood what Lily was getting at and maybe even agreed with her but he'd be damned if he admitted that he was in the wrong.  
  
"Listen can't you just admit I'm right for once?" Lily snapped.  
  
"Oh you were right? Yipee give Evans a gold medal for being right." Said James sarcastically. "God knows you need something to flaunt about." It took a minute for Lily to comprehend what James was saying. She felt anger bubble up inside her and spill over. And then a red film seemed to come over Lilys eyes and when it was lifted Lily saw James reeling back and clutching his left eye. (A/N: I really make her hit James in all my stories don't I?)  
  
"No one ever speaks to me like that." Said Lily angrily. James eye was beginning to go black and blue.  
  
"Shit Lily!" exclaimed Andrea. In reply Lily conjured up pieces of raw meat and handed them to Andrea who pressed them against James black eye.  
  
"You deserved it." Was the only thing Lily could say.  
  
"I know." He replied gruffly and Lily could hear the shock in his voice. He was shocked because he had actually said something like that.  
  
Sirius suddenly stood up. "I have to go meet Leanne at the astronomy tower." He got up and left. Andrea watched after him obviously with jealousy.  
  
"Still got it in for padfoot?" asked James.  
  
"No." said Andrea. "Ofcourse not." But the strip of raw meat slipped from her hand. Andrea and Sirius had dated around the ending of fifth year.for a long time. About three months. It had been the longest time Sirius had stayed with any girl. Then he broke up with her for no reason at all. Andrea had been crushed. Lily and Cassidy had stayed up many long nights with Andrea trying to comfort her or awkwardly lying awake and listening to her suppressed sobs. A rift had began to form between Cassidy and her twin whom she adored so much. The ending of fifth year had no doubt been an unpleasant one for everyone. But now everything had been repaired between Cassidy and Sirius. Andrea and Sirius acted like nothing had happened between them which was fine with everyone else. After awhile Lily got up and yawned. "Well I'm sleepy. I think I'll g-"  
  
"Sirius stop overreacting!" came Cassidy's voice sounding close to tears.  
  
"Overreacting? OVERREACTING?! You think I'm overreacting?!" came Siriuses booming voice. The portrait whole opened and in stepped Cassidy, Remus and Sirius.  
  
"You will never believe what I spotted these two doing!" Sirius exclaimed jabbing his finger in Cassidy and Remuses direction.  
  
"It was just a kiss Sirius!" Cassidy yelled her hair coming out of it neat bun.  
  
"You are not going out with him Cass and that's final!" Sirius yelled.  
  
"Sirius I really like Remus and it think he likes me a lot too! So stop being an arse and liv with the fact that your little sister is in love with your best friend!" Cassidy then promptly shut her mouth realizing what she had just said.  
  
"You what?" asked Sirius disbelievingly.  
  
"I-" Cassidy started her throat parched. "I'm going to-" she couldn't say anything else and bounded up the steps to her dormitory.  
  
Andrea glared at Sirius. "Now look what you did." She snapped and went after Cassidy.  
  
"Lily-" Sirius began but Lily cut him of.  
  
"Sirius this is a matter between you and Cassidy. I don't want to be dragged into this." Said Lily.  
  
Sirius nodded and turned to Remus. "Remus you don't-I mean come in- she's so young-she can't-you can't-" Sirius tried to find the right words to describe what he felt.  
  
"I'll leave you all to it." Said Lily. She gave Sirius a sisterly peck on the cheek goodnight and squeezed Remuses hand reassuringly. She got up and left for her dorm. Reaching her dorm she saw Cassidy sitting on the edge of her bed and Andrea sitting beside her.  
  
"Do you really love Remus?" asked Andrea.  
  
"I don't know!" Cassidy moaned and put her head in Andreas lap while sniffing.  
  
"Cassidy what exactly happened?" asked Lily coming to sit beside them.  
  
"Well madam Pomfrey gave Remus a potion to help him feel better. We were on our way back when Remus got an idea to play a prank on Filchs cat Mrs. Norris.  
  
Flashback.  
  
"Remus you turned her BLUE?" asked Cassidy disbelievingly.  
  
Remus chuckled. "Filch'll have a nice surprise."  
  
Cassidy shook her head. "And her I was thinking you were the innocent one of the group."  
  
"Hey I AM a marauder after all." Said Remus. Cassidy grinned and shook her head. She suddenly felt her heart flutter as Remus took a step closer to her. His ears suddenly perked up. "Cassidy did you hear something?" he asked his eyes alert. Cassidy doubted he had the same thoughts running through his mind that she did.  
  
"No." said Cassidy swallowing hard. He was obviously unaware of how close he was to her.  
  
"I was sure I hea-" but he was cut of as Cassidy unable to take it anymore kissed him. He was surprised at first but kissed her back.  
  
"WHAT THE-" a new voice started.  
  
Cassidy and Remus broke away from each other and looked up. Sirius was standing there with Leanne glued to his arm.  
  
"Goodnight Leanne." Said Sirius curtly.  
  
"But Sirius." Leanne said pretending to whine.  
  
"I said good night"  
  
"Fine." Leanne walked away.  
  
Cassidy had never EVER seen her brother so angry. And she hoped she never would.  
  
End flashback.  
  
"-And that's all." Said Cassidy bursting into sobs.  
  
"Come on honey its O.K." said Andrea. "Come on go to sleep."  
  
Cassidy nodded and lay down in her bed. Andrea went to her own bed while Lily changed into her nightgown and lay down in her own bed. She could faintly hear the voices of James, Sirius and Remus Curiosity getting the bet of her she got up and sat down on the steps listening to what they were saying.  
  
"Sirius you really shouldn't have gotten so worked up." Said James. "You know Remus would never hurt Cassie intentionally."  
  
Sirius sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "I know its just.it came as such a shock.she probably never wants to talk to me again."  
  
"I'll go call her." Said James. "She's probably awake.it's only been twenty minutes."  
  
"Yea she's probably still up there going on about how stupid I am." Said Sirius chuckling softly. "Go on Prongs. Go call her." Lily was relieved to see that Sirius had calmed down. After all Remus WAS his best friend. A thought then struck her. James was coming.as quick as a flash Lily got up and ran into her dorm hoping not to be caught snooping by James. She got into bed and closed her eyes. She hadn't had time to pull back the curtains of her bed ands the covers were only half way up to her waist as she lay on her back. She closed her eyes as she heard the door open. She heard shallow breathing and wondered why the great prat wasn't waking Cassie up and going on his way. She cursed herself thinking she might have not been fast enough and James had seen her. She could hear him taking steps closer to her bed and wondered if he was going to play a prank on her. Lily vowed she'd get him back if he did. She smiled slightly as she remembered how she'd punched him. And then Lily realized what he was doing. He was watching her sleep.  
  
* * *  
  
James entered the dorm and looked sharply to the left as he had heard a rustling sound from there. His eyes fell upon Lily. The moonlight streamed through the window and caste an eerie light over her. Her expression was so.peaceful. James couldn't think of any other word to use. He'd always seen her with a scowl on her face or glaring at him with anger in her eyes. James found himself wistfully thinking how it would be if she stared at him without anger or a scowl. He took a step closer to her bed and felt his heart flutter as a small smile tugged at her lips. He touched his black eye and winced. He knew he shouldn't have said the things he did but she had gotten him so mad. No one could do that except her.  
  
* * *  
  
Lily could practically FEEL James standing beside her bed. She suddenly became aware of how low the neck of her night gown was. Lily quickly turned over in bed pulling the covers up with her and pretended to mumble something. She heard him back away and go to wake Cassidy up.  
  
* * *  
  
James stared at Lily before she turned over in bed and he was broken out of his reverie 'Stupid' James scolded himself. 'Elizabeth think about Elizabeth. You swore not to get seriously involved with any girl other than her this year' and James got a feeling that if he got involved with Lily it would be a more serious relationship than he had bargained for. Sure he'd had his long-term relationships. There'd been Mandy in fourth year. They'd gone out for a month. And then in fifth year there had been two girls Tanya and Sarah both who had stayed with him also for a month. But this year he wasn't going to get involved in that. He woke Cassidy up and went downstairs with her.  
  
* * *  
  
Jeremy I'm so sad.  
  
Why Lizzie what's wrong?  
  
I'm going back to Hogwarts in a week and I'll miss you.  
  
But you know I'll be at Hogwarts.  
  
Yea but you see Jeremy I LIED to you. My name isn't Elizabeth.  
  
.  
  
Jeremy are you angry?  
  
No Liz I'm not angry.just shocked I guess but you know I lied to you too.  
  
You did? Then I guess we both have something to apologize for.  
  
Yea.Lizzie do you have a boyfriend?  
  
No.why?  
  
Are you interested in anyone?  
  
No.well there is this one boy.  
  
Who?  
  
Well I know him really really well and we're really close and can practically read each others minds.  
  
I thought we were close Lizzie.  
  
We are Jeremy we are.  
  
Then who is this boy?  
  
Oh Jeremy you're so stupid! It's you!  
  
Really?!  
  
Ofcourse!  
  
Lizzie I really really like you.  
  
Me too.  
  
I mean more than like.I think I love you.  
  
.Jeremy or whatever your name is you know we don't even know each other. I haven't even SEEN you. How do I know you're not some first year?  
  
Liz jut call me Jeremy and I'll call you Liz.don't you trust me? I swear on my dead mother and fathers grave that I am a soon to be fifth year and utterly in love with you.  
  
Jeremy listen I like you.I like you a lot.but LOVE? I mean.I don't know what love is.  
  
Then why don't you give it a try and find out?  
  
And now Lily knew what love was. It was crying at night because the one you loved wasn't by your side. It was feeling as if you were on cloud nine when you got a letter from him. It was trying to control yourself when you needed a person to snuggle with and he wasn't there. It was the most wonderful feeling she had ever experienced. She added a small poem at the bottom of her letter to Jeremy.  
  
As a part of you had grow in me, Together forever shall we be Never apart Maybe in distance but not in heart.  
  
She then sent it of and went down from the owlery. A goofy smile spread over her face as she thought about the bracelet in her dorm.  
  
A/N: How wuz this chap? Is it better than the last one? Please review and tell me.I really do have my doubts about this story and for those of you wondering yes they did meet in a chatroom and you'll find more out about wizard net as the chapters progress! 


	3. Chapter 3:Tests and pained glances

Disclaimer: you know the drill.  
  
A/N: AHHH I really screwed things up! I mixed the names up. Olivia is NOT the fifth year prefect! Natalie is! Olivia was the one being sorted! Anyway I went back and fixed it. Also im really sorry for not updating for so long! I promise to update faster! Check back in two days for another update! But only if I get a lot of reviews!  
  
Lily gave her Transfiguration test and was the first one done. It was only a quiz to see how much the students had learnt this past month. It included an essay and question paper of 50 marks and Lily had to turn a stick into a snake which was also of 50 marks.  
  
"My test went wonderful!" Lily exclaimed happily. She slung an arm over siriuses shoulders. His back was slumped and he looked like someone had canceled Christmas.  
  
"Good for you. Mine went awful." Sirius grumbled. He tried to keep his eyes away from Cassidy and Remus who were holding hands and smiling at each other. "Talk about mush-ville." He muttered. Lily giggled.  
  
"Well I think it's sweet." Said Andrea looking up from her notes of Transfiguration. She frowned. "I think I got question seven wrong."  
  
"Oh come on Andrea." Said Lily taking the notes and throwing them out the window. "Don't talk about the test.there's nothing that you can do now!"  
  
"Easy for you to say.you'll probably get full marks." Andrea muttered.  
  
"Oh Andrea.I'm sure you'll do fine." Said Lily. She then jumped onto Siriuses back. "Piggy back ride Siri!" Lily yelled and laughed as Sirius ran out with her onto the Hogwarts grounds. James sat by the lake waving to some blonde haired ditz who he'd just probably had a make out session with. The next thing Lily knew Sirius had dumped her onto James lap. He quickly pushed her away from his lap making her fall into the water. Lily hit the surface and swam back up.  
  
"P-Potter!" she snarled getting out of the water. She shivered as a cold wind blasted out of no where. Clutching herself Lily glared at him. She threw her own cloak around her and stomped away to the castle.  
  
"Hey Lils you forgot your Charms and DADA homework!" Sirius yelled.  
  
"K-Keep it!" Lily yelled with chattering teeth. "I'll g-get it f-from you l- later!"  
  
"Was it something I said?" asked James jokingly.  
  
"Naw!" Replied Lily. "It's not your fault your mum dropped you on your head when you were a baby!"  
  
James winced before replying. "My mum died giving birth to me!"  
  
Lily froze with her back a few feet away from them. She swallowed hard and without saying one word went back to the castle.  
  
* * *  
  
James sat on the window ledge staring out at the stars as if he expected something to happen. An owl suddenly flew in and he untied the letter from its leg. Reading over it he sent a long reply and sat back contently.  
  
"I think I owe someone a trip to Hogsmeade." James whispered. He got his invisibility cloak, took the marauders map and went to Hogsmeade. On his way back he held a huge and expensive packet of crunchy chocolate frogs.  
  
* * *  
  
The next day Lily was on her way to charms class with Andrea.  
  
"God Lily I swear Flitwicks after my blood." Said Andrea.  
  
Lily giggled and then a thought struck her. "Shit! I forgot my charms homework.with Sirius! If that git copied anything." Lily muttered. She turned on her heel and ran towards the common room. She bumped into Remus and Cassidy on their way to charms.  
  
"Yea Sirius is upstairs." Said Remus in response to Lilys question of where 'the great prat' was.  
  
She ran up to the boys dorm and saw it. On Siriuses bed was a whole box of crunchy chocolate frogs. Lily approached his bed with caution and quickly snatched one up. She felt someone grab her wrist.  
  
"Ow!" Lily exclaimed and looked at the owner of the hand to see it was James.  
  
"Evans." James said surprised. He let go of her wrist. "What do you want?"  
  
"My charms homework." Lily growled. She started to unwrap the CCF.  
  
"Hey!" James exclaimed. "That's not yours!" he snatched it away from her.  
  
"Give it back!" Lily exclaimed and grabbed it away from him. "It's not yours either. They belong to Sirius! They were on his bed." And Lily began to eat one.  
  
"They're mine and I was showing them to Sirius." Said James angrily.  
  
Lily glared at him.  
  
"Whao what's going on?" asked Sirius coming out of the bathroom.  
  
"Evans here was just leaving, right?" James spat.  
  
Lily turned and left. But before she did she threw the half eaten frog and James feet. "I'd rather die than eat something YOU paid for." She said and left.  
  
James turned around angrily and got his things for charms as Sirius ran after Lily with her homework.  
  
* * *  
  
Lily hated this. Fighting with James Potter all the time.she was so fed up of him. She was just sick and tired of him. She hated him and wished he wouldn't bother her like he did. Right now he was deliberately writing on his parchment making the quill make scratchy sounds as he wrote. Lily slammed her book shut unable to take it anymore and ran upstairs. An owl sat on her bed. Lily went over and untied the letter from its leg and looked at the box of CCFs beside it. She read the letter quickly and smiled as she read the two last words. Love Jeremy. She sighed and flopped down on her bed to open the package. She opened it to find one CCF missing. A thought flashed across Lilys mind but she dismissed it quickly and proceeded to stuff her face happily.  
  
* * *  
  
Andrea gave a painful glance toward Sirius and his current girlfriend before going back to her home work.  
  
"Admit it Andy. You still like Sirius." Said James in a low whisper.  
  
"Ha! As if." Said Andrea going back to her essay. "James who was Gobble the red handed?"  
  
James opened his mouth as if to say something but shut it quickly. "Find out yourself." He said going back to his own work.  
  
"But-" Andrea began to protest.  
  
James cut her of. "I'm not listening." He said. "So good luck trying to waver my decision."  
  
Andrea shook her head and couldn't help but throw a glance at Sirius.  
  
"If you look at him and Maggie one more time I swear Andy I'm going to make you kiss him." Said James.  
  
"What?" asked Andrea tearing her eye away from Sirius.  
  
"Don't push it." James muttered. Andrea flashed him a smile before going back to her work.  
  
James went back to his work and saw Lily coming back down looking extremely happy. James then proceeded to make scratchy sounds on paper with his quill. He saw Lily cringe and couldn't help but smile.  
  
"Potter." She said through gritted teeth.  
  
"Hmmm?" he asked acting oblivious to what was bothering her. (scratch scratch).  
  
"Would you-scratch scratch- mind-scratch scratch- mind-"  
  
"Mind what?" asked James innocently doubling the scratching noises.  
  
"Mind jumping in the lake!" Lily shrieked. She threw her book down and stomped out in a huff.  
  
James smiled to himself. "That'll teach you to eat Elizabeth's chocolate frogs." He muttered. He looked up to see Andrea staring at Sirius.  
  
"That's it!" James yelled. He grabbed Andrea by her hands and pulled her up. He then threw her into Sirius's lap putting her between Sirius and Maggie. "Now talk things out." Said James and went upstairs dusting his hands of.  
  
"Sorry." Andrea muttered standing up. "James just had a fight with Lily." Said Andrea as if to explain why he blew up.  
  
"Another one?" asked Sirius amusedly.  
  
Andrea nodded. She flipped her hair over her shoulder. "Do you by any chance know who Gobble the red handed was?"  
  
"Gobble?" asked Sirius disbelievingly.  
  
Andrea nodded. "Poor Goblin. Must've been tough being named Gobble."  
  
"Enough chit chat Sirius." Purred Maggie.  
  
"Lets go somewhere where we can be alone." She then hauled Sirius up and led him out of the common room. Andrea looked back down at her work. She was all alone now. Cassidy and Remus were of doing God knows what and Lily was probably writing another letter to Jeremy. Suddenly Natalie got up to come sit beside her. Andrea smiled at Natalie. Even though she was a fifth year they were still friends. Natalie had curly blonde hair and twinkling blue eyes. She looked like what a cheerleader would you could say.  
  
"Hey Nats." Said Andrea.  
  
"Sirius problems?" asked Natalie sympathetically.  
  
Andrea nodded swallowing. "You could say that. It's so obvious to everyone." She moaned and then a horrible thought struck her. "What if its obvious to Sirius?"  
  
"It isn't." Natalie assured. "It's obvious to no one except us."  
  
"life is so unfair! I have to fall for the one guy I don't want to." Andrea exclaimed angrily.  
  
"Listen forget about Sirius. I doubt you've dated anyone since you two broke up.am I right?" Andrea nodded. "Well then I know some guys who've been giving you the eye lately Andy. Come on." Natalie then dragged Andrea up and led her out the portrait whole. "There's Billius Weasley. He's so cute with his red hair. Oh and Davy Gudgeon. He was so brave in second year. Almost got his eye pocked out trying to touch the whomping willow. Oh and don't forget Amos Diggory." Natalie went on and on as they walked down the halls.  
  
Lily came back to the common room to see no one there. She flopped down onto the sofa and opened the book she had just issued from the library. A figure suddenly came bounding down the stairs and could smell his cologne from where she was. She recognized that scent. It was James Potter. Lily didn't bother to look at him but he suddenly tripped falling onto her and pushing her down onto the sofa. Lily felt a small tug at the back of her heart. James got of her quickly and picked his books up. Lily spat angrily at him. "Oh that's O.K. I forgive you for practically squashing me." She finished with a hint of sarcasm in her voice. "It wouldn't hurt to say you're sorry Potter." Lily spat. She got up and after taking her own things went back up to her room trying to ignore the fact that she got the same feeling when James had fallen on her that she got when she read Jeremys letters. 


	4. chapter 4:Results and Misgivings

Disclaimer: I OWN NOTHING! Oh and the quotes and poems are all from different places that I just picked up. Some are from websites, some are from books and others are from the top of my head. But most quotes will be from firehotquotes.com. Just making that clear.  
  
A/N: I know I said I'd update sooner but I've been busy! I had to do this car manufacturing project for school and my tests are starting in TWO weeks! My FIRST term tests and when do they tell us? NOW. They told us like today or something and I practically died of shock. I cant even prepare for 1 term test in two weeks! Let alone having to prepare for all the subjects! But I promise you guys'll have updates from me for this story before my tests start.  
  
Lily sat in the transfiguration classroom eagerly waiting for her Transfiguration test results. "You two probably did great." Lily assured Cassidy and Andrea. "Easy for you to say Lily. To you a 90 percent is something to freak over and complain to McGonagoll until she gives you a higher grade or detention." "Andrea that's not funny." Said Lily. She remembered her first 90% and how mortified she'd been. Cassidy suddenly squealed in delight. "I got 70%!" she exclaimed. "I got 65!" Andrea said happily. "I thought I was going to fail for sure." Lily smiled and turned to face Sirius and Remus who sat behind her. "What did you two get?" she asked.  
  
"I actually got 80%." Said Sirius smiling. "And I got a 90." Said Remus. "Wow so Remus you have the highest so far?" asked Lily. Remus shook his head. "Prongs has the highest. He got a 99 percent." Lilys eyes widened. She'd never been able to get such high marks in Transfiguration. "Ms. Evans here's your paper." Said McGonagoll. She handed Lily her paper. Lily took it and stared at her grade. "Oh my God." She whispered her eyes unusually bright. "What did you get Lils?" asked Andrea. The signal suddenly came for ending class and everyone began to get their bags. Lily was grateful so they wouldn't see the tears in her eyes. Staring back at her from her paper was a big 45 percent. Lily angrily brushed the tears away from her cheeks and felt her friends crowd around her. "Come on Lils a 45 isn't that bad." Said Andrea. "I got a 30 once remember." "And Peter got a-what did you get again Peter?" asked Sirius. Lily knew Peter had probably gotten less than her and so Sirius was trying to boost her ego by showing that she hadn't gotten the least. "I got a 55." Said Peter proudly.  
  
Lily felt more tears rush out of her eyes. Even Peter got a passing grade. Her chances for head girl were ruined. They'd never take her if she got grades like this. She'd never failed in ANYTHING in her whole life. How could she have failed? What would her parents say? Out of the corner of her eye she could see James slowly and purposefully packing his bag. He then stood awkwardly behind everyone not sure what to do. "All of you out!" barked Professor McGonagoll. "I want a word with Ms. Evans alone." Everyone began to file out. "Mr. Potter I want you to stay back." James looked confused but didn't leave with everyone else. "Lily." Said McGonagoll gently. "Stop crying." "I-I can't." Lily choked out. "My head girl chances are ruined aren't they Professor?" Lily asked. "No they're not." Said McGonagoll. "You just have to work harder on this subject and this test didn't even count. It was just to see how much you've learnt. Now dear dry your eyes. Grades are such a silly thing to cry over. There are people in this world who have problems worse than yours." Lily wiped the tears away and no more came. Her face was still extremely red from crying though. "I think you need a tutor and since Mr. Potter here does have the highest marks in Transfiguration I think he would be the best wizard for the job." "No!" exclaimed Lily. "I mean.I'll work harder Professor I promise. I don't need a tutor." "Ms. Evans I think you do need one." Said McGonagoll sternly. "However it is your choice and if you don't want good marks." she trailed of as Lily quickly blurted out. "I do want good marks it's just that well.oh alright." Said Lily.  
  
She and James walked out of the classroom and Lily suddenly felt tears spring to her eyes again. She sniffed. James looked at her uneasily. He purposefully dropped something from his file and sped of to the Quidditch pitch. Lily looked down at the paper to see it was a charms test. She it picked up to find that James had gotten 45% on it.  
  
* * *  
  
Lily sat near the Hogwarts lake. She kept looking at the sky hoping to spot an owl she was expecting. Her eyes suddenly lit up as she spotted a black owl come her way. It dropped a letter and was of. Reading it she smiled as she read it.  
  
Dear Elizabeth, How are you? How about meeting on wizard net for one hour? Please? Did you like the chocolate frogs I sent you? How did your transfiguration test go? It was pretty easy and I managed a good grade. Have to go now love.  
  
Love, Jeremy.  
  
Lily wrote him a letter and put it in her pocket deciding to make a detour to the owlery on her way to the Gryffindor common room.  
  
She walked towards the owlery and on her way bumped into no other than James Potter on his way down from the owlery. "Watch where you're going." Lily spat.  
  
"I was watching where I was going." James defended. "It's you that has some eye problem."  
  
"Look who's talking four eyes." Lily said angrily.  
  
"Well you're no better Ms. Know it all."  
  
Lily winced remembering her bad grade. "I'd rather die then let you be my transfiguration tutor. McGonagoll made me alright? So don't think it's of my own free will."  
  
"Right." Said James sarcastically.  
  
"You just shut up." Lily snarled. She walked past him and took out her letter. James reached a hand out and grabbed the letter.  
  
"What's this?" he asked his eyes glittering with mischievous delight. Lily knew he was looking for a way to get back at her.  
  
"Non of your business. Now give it back." Said Lily angrily.  
  
"You've sprayed it with perfume. This is a love letter isn't it Evans?" he asked quirking an eyebrow.  
  
"No." said Lily defensively. "Now give it back." She reached out to grab it back but James easily caught her wrist.  
  
"I will-after I've read it." Said James. His fingers seemed to burn into Lilys wrist and she felt a strange sensation fill her. Lily pulled her wrist away quickly. Lily flung herself at James tackling him to the floor. "Give it back!" she exclaimed. James pushed her of him and stood up. He shoved the letter towards her and left after a short "I wouldn't have REALLY read it."  
  
Lily rolled her eyes and proceeded to walk up the steps.  
  
* * *  
  
James walked down the steps confused. The perfume Lily had used was the same that Elizabeth used. Lily had received it from Natalie during fourth year and ever since then she always bought it whenever it ran out because she liked the smell so much. He thought for a minute and a thought struck him. What if Elizabeth was Natalie.  
  
'She's not bad.' James reasoned as he walked into the common room. He stared at Natalie who was right now sitting and talking with her friends. She was the type of person who was friends with everyone. James smiled at Natalie and she smiled back. She was exactly the type of person that would be Elizabeth he thought decidedly. 'How come I never noticed before?' he asked himself. He went and sat down beside Natalie and watched her as she greeted him and moved over to make room for him to sit. James sat down and at that exact moment received a letter. Natalie looked over his shoulder as he read it and James purposefully allowed her to get a good look. He watched her reaction and as he watched her eyes widen in surprise and her hand drop limply from twirling a strand of hair he had no more doubts left. Natalie MUST be Elizabeth.  
  
Natalie turned pale and she looked at James. "Y-YOU'RE Jeremy? How..but you're James.why is Jeremy written here? James you CAN'T be Jeremy.you.I mean.she.how could you..in love but you two." Natalie finally regained her senses. "Tell me how you know Elizabeth James." Natalie demanded.  
  
James pretended to look surprised. "You read my letter?" he asked.  
  
Natalie nodded.  
  
James pretended to sigh in defeat. "Well I might as well tell you..I've been conversing through letters with a girl since fourth year and-"  
  
"Stop!" Natalie said clapping her hands over her ears. "For heavens sakes I DON'T want to know anymore. I think I already do. I know everything." She added. She purposefully got up. "I have to go and-and uh talk to-to Lily and the girls." Said Natalie turning a shade of green and looking as if she couldn't comprehend what was going on.  
  
James stood up with her and grabbed her arm. "Come back soon Liz." James whispered in her ear before letting go of her hand.  
  
Natalie felt as if she was going to be sick. 'Oh my God James thinks I'm Elizabeth.' She thought to herself a horrible sinking feeling coming over her. She rushed towards the girls dormitory determined to straighten everything out. 'After all.' She thought. 'If I don't I might just ruin two lives.'  
  
A/N: How wuz THIS chapter? REVIEW PLEASSE! OK yes I KNOW making Lily cy over something as stupid as a bad grade is well..stupid BUT this REALLY happened. A classmate of mine cried when they failed in their October test and one girl even cried because she got a 47 out of 50..so DON'T say its unbelievable..i was sitting there trying to comfort one of them and I suddenly told my friend 'OMG I just got a great idea for our story that we're going to write.'..insensitive I know. Me talking about a story while someone just failed and is crying. anyway PLZZZZZ REVIEW! Also...how could James think Natalie wuz liz? WHt abt their age dif. And all..well you guys'lll have ur Qs answered in the next chap! 


	5. Chapter 5:Things get cleared out and Sir...

Disclaimer: see previous chaps.  
  
Natalie stormed into Lilys dormitory out of breath. Lily looked up from her book. "Lily!" Natalie exclaimed trying to regain her breath. "I know-who Jeremy is!" she took a deep breath. "He's-"  
  
"Stop!" Lily exclaimed clapping her hands over her ears. "I don't want to know. Not until the ball."  
  
"But-"Natalie protested.  
  
"Lalala! I'm not listening!" Lily said with her hands over her ears.  
  
"O.K. fine." Said Natalie. "But atleast listen to how I found out." Lily shook her head. "No."  
  
"Why?" Natalie asked.  
  
"Because it might give me a hint about who Jeremy is and I don't want that." Said Lily and went back to her book.  
  
Natalie tried to protest but Lily simply waved her wand at her and sent Natalie flying out of her dorm.  
  
"Lils!" exclaimed Andrea. "I wanted to know who Jeremy was!"  
  
"You're welcome to go and find out. Just don't tell me." Said Lily.  
  
"I don't get you Lils. Whats so important about meeting at the sixth year ball?" asked Cassidy standing up.  
  
"You'd never understand." Said Lily and got a dreamy look on her face.  
  
Andrea and Cassidy just shrugged and then left.  
  
* * *  
  
They came downstairs to find that James was sitting extremely close to Natalie who in turn was leaning slightly away from him as he spoke to her. Natalie saw them and got up suddenly. "Oh look they came here to get me.Lily must be calling me. Bye!" she said and walked over to Andrea and Cassidy.  
  
"What's with James?" asked Cassidy to Natalie.  
  
"Stuff that." Cut in Andrea. "Who's Jeremy?"  
  
Natalie swallowed and said. "Both of your questions have the same answer." She said.  
  
"What?" asked Andrea confused. She ran a hand through her perfect brown hair and couldn't help but glance at Sirius who was flirting away with a girl.  
  
"James is Jeremy." Said Natalie calmly.  
  
Andrea had to hold on to Cassidy to keep herself from falling. "Wh-what?!" she exclaimed.  
  
Natalie nodded.  
  
"How do you know?" demanded Cassidy.  
  
"Because-" Natalie explained putting her hands into the back pockets of her jeans. "He thought I was Elizabeth and everything just sort of folded out."  
  
"Does he-he know who Elizabeth is?" asked Andrea cautiously. Natalie shook her head.  
  
"I haven't told him I'm not Lily. And frankly I don't know what to do." Said Natalie.  
  
"Listen-" said Andrea quickly. "Tell him the truth but don't let him know who Elizabeth is." Natalie nodded and cautiously went back to sit beside James.  
  
"James-" Natalie started.  
  
"Yea?" he asked putting his hand over hers.  
  
"I'm not Elizabeth." She said after swallowing hard.  
  
His brows furrowed. "What? No you MUST be her. I mean your perfume was on every letter I got and the way you knew who Jeremy was."  
  
"I knew who you were because I know Elizabeth." Natalie cut in. "Think James think. I can't be Elizabeth. I'm a fifth year and Elizabeth is in sixth year."  
  
James started a bit. He hadn't thought about that. He ran a hand through his hair. "So you're not Elizabeth?"  
  
Natalie shook her head. James laughed. "I feel so stupid."  
  
Natalie laughed with him. "Sorry." Said James staring at his hands. "It was stupid of me to think like that."  
  
"That's O.K." Natalie assured. "James can I ask you something?" she asked.  
  
"Go ahead." Said James leaning back on the couch.  
  
"You love Elizabeth right?" she asked.  
  
"Right." Said James.  
  
"Then why do you flirt so much with other girls. I mean you have a girlfriend every other week." Said Natalie.  
  
James thought for a minute. "I guess it was so I wouldn't raise any suspicion. You know how Sirius and I were in third year and it would be a big thing if James Potter came back in fourth year and stopped going out with girls."  
  
"But you have had your fair share in serious relationships." Said Natalie.  
  
James nodded. "But I swear if Elizabeth had suddenly popped up out of no where I would've dumped every one of them in a heartbeat. "  
  
Natalie nodded. She sucked in a breath and glanced over at Andrea who was now staring at Sirius and some ditz.  
  
"How long are we going to have to watch Andrea stare at Sirius?" asked Natalie jokingly.  
  
James rubbed his eyes tiredly. "She should get on with her life. The sooner she does the sooner Sirius will realize he's wasted a lot of time in getting together with her again."  
  
"What do you mean?" asked Natalie.  
  
"Sirius thinks Andrea will always be there. She'll always be waiting for a sign from him and she'll jump at the first chance she gets to get back together with him. But he needs to realize that's not it. And the sooner he does the sooner he comes crawling back to her. Also the sooner Andrea moves on the sooner he realizes the truth."  
  
Natalie felt hot anger inside of her. "You mean to tell me that Sirius has decided to just go out with as many girls as he wants and when he gets bored he'll come back to Andrea? When he decides he's had enough of being single he'll just turn up at her doorstep and expect her to be there with open arms?" Her voice held nothing but anger in it.  
  
"Well.sort of." Said James uncomfortably.  
  
"Let Sirius Mathew Black know something." Spat Natalie. "She'll be there but not with open arms. She'll be there with a baby in her arms and a happy family. I'm not going to let that prat hold my friend down just for the heck of it." She got up and turned to leave.  
  
"Wait Natalie!" James exclaimed.  
  
Natalie turned around inquiringly.  
  
"You know who Elizabeth is?" he asked suddenly remembering her words earlier.  
  
She nodded and without another word left.  
  
He thought for a moment. How many sixth year girls did Natalie know? Practically the whole form. She knew everyone and James knew it was useless trying to figure it out. He suddenly looked at the time. "Shit!" he exclaimed in frustration. He'd told Elizabeth he'd meet her on wizard net and then he's though Natalie was Elizabeth and. "I'm dead." He muttered and ran up into his dorm. He took out a brown book and dipped his quill into some ink. He wrote on the book.  
  
Hello. Lizzie are you there?  
  
And then the reply came in writing that seemed to shake. It seemed as if the writers hand was shaking. 'Probably from anger.' James thought.  
  
I have been waiting for a WHOLE hour.  
  
He suddenly found a hex jump out of the book and turn his hair green. James wrote down  
  
Um. Sorry?  
  
Sorry is ALL you have to say?  
  
James thought for a moment.  
  
I er.ran into some trouble. You see I thought this girl Natalie was.well you. And then she tells me she's not and that she knows you.  
  
You what? Hahahaha. Jeremy Natalies in fifth year and I'm in SIXTH.  
  
Yea well I didn't exactly think of that. Still mad at me?  
  
...well...no not really.  
  
Good send me the counter curse for this green hair do.  
  
A white light shot out of the book and at James. His hair turned back to normal. Elizabeth started to write.  
  
You know Natalie came to me and told me she knew who you were.  
  
James heart skipped a beat.  
  
Do you know who I am now? He wrote quickly.  
  
No. I stopped her from telling me.  
  
Why? James wrote.  
  
Because Jeremy.I don't need to see your face to love you. Our love is so strong that it can survive through anything  
  
It can survive through not seeing each other for two and a half years James cut in.  
  
And grow stronger day by day. Elizabeth wrote.  
  
A love strong enough to survive through great distances. (James.)  
  
And never waver once. (Elizabeth.)  
  
A love that starts from the heart. (James)  
  
And reaches the eyes. Elizabeth finished of.  
  
How come you can read my mind? Asked James teasingly.  
  
Because Jeremy remember. Whatever our bodies are made of. Our souls are the same.  
  
James smiled slightly and wrote back. I wish you were beside me right now.  
  
Oh Jeremy. Elizabeth wrote. I'm so sorry I have to go now.  
  
I miss you. James wrote.  
  
I'm in your heart Jeremy how could you miss me? She wrote. I guarantee that from the next time you open your eyes it'll be as if I myself am standing there infront of you and-oh Jeremy I'm sorry I have to go. Bye love.  
  
James shut the book and closed his eyes.  
  
"And then I said well if you-" the voice James hated so much stopped short. "What are YOU doing in here?" she demanded. James opened his eyes to see Lily and Cassidy standing there.  
  
"This IS my dorm Evans." James spat. "I'm the one who should be asking you that."  
  
Lily flipped her hair over her shoulders. "We're looking for Remus." She said. "He said we could all sit here and do our homework."  
  
"No way. The words Lily Evans and my dorm do not go together." Said James standing up. He pulled Cassidy beside him. "Cassidy can stay though. You-" he pointed a finger at Lily. "Leave." He made hand movements towards her which one would use to shoe a dog away.  
  
"Stuff it Potter." Said Lily. "Remus invited us not you. You can just go and suck one of your girlfriends faces."  
  
"How dare you-" James started and as both started to argue Cassidy began to wonder.  
  
How could these two people who were so much and utterly in love hate each other at the same time?  
  
James looked ready to spit fire at Lily and she in turn looked like she wanted to throttle his throat. Cassidy decided that hell would break loose when they both found out who the other was.  
  
"Me?!" Lily roared. "You're the one that's being an arse! You're just impossible!"  
  
"I'm impossible?" James exclaimed with disbelief. "I'M IMPOSSIBLE?!"  
  
"Yes you!" Lily roared. "I don't see any other half wits in this room! Oh sorry calling you a half wit is an insult to half wits everywhere!"  
  
"Evans why don't you just shove of?!"  
  
"Me? Why don't you?!"  
  
"It's my dorm!"  
  
"I was invited!"  
  
"Why don't you take that invitation and shove it up-"  
  
"ENOUGH!" yelled Cassidy. "You BOTH are being twits."  
  
Both spoke at the same time. "He/she started it!" they said pointing their fingers at each other.  
  
"Me?" both spoke again in unison. "You're the one who started it!" Cassidy was beginning to get freaked out.  
  
"Stop copying me!" both yelled at each other. "I'm not copying you!" they yelled again. "You're copying me!"  
  
"Dear lord help us." Cassidy muttered.  
  
They sat down at the same time and suddenly James said. "Tomato."  
  
"What?" asked Lily and Cassidy at the same time.  
  
He shrugged. "I had to break the cycle somehow so we'd stop saying the same things."  
  
Cassidy begin to laugh.  
  
"It's not funny." said Lily even though it was obvious that she was trying to hide her smile. Remus suddenly came in.  
  
"Bloody hell that was like world war II all over again." He said sitting down. Cassidy came to sit beside him.  
  
"I could hear those two-" he jabbed his finger at Lily and James. "All the way down in the common room. The whole house was listening to you two bicker. And frankly you two gave me a headache." He rubbed his temples as Cassidy kissed his forehead.  
  
"Here let me." She said and began to massage his temples.  
  
"What happened to study hour?" asked Lily testily.  
  
"Why can't you let them be alone Evans?" asked James. "It's obvious they want us out." He pulled Lily out by the hand rather roughly not caring that the bracelet she was wearing was now digging hard into her skin. Her face was contorted in pain and she tried to pull her hand free from his.  
  
"Let go!" Lily exclaimed once they were outside his dorm and pulled her hand away from his with a final tug. She stared at the back of her wrist where the chain marks of her silver bracelet were now indented. "You sure know how to treat a lady Potter." Said Lily sarcastically.  
  
"Oh where is the lady?" asked James. "I can't see anyone here but me and you."  
  
"Shut up." Lily snapped and turned to leave for her dorm. And then as an afterthought she sat down in the common room beside Sirius. James sighed. He didn't feel like dealing with Evans but he had been planning to plan a prank with Sirius. He hated having the same friends as her. He sat down beside the two.  
  
At that moment Andrea and Natalie came into the common room. Andrea was wearing pretty light blue robes that fit her perfectly. She had her arms linked with a seventh year by the name of Terry Mitchells. He had black hair that stuck up and a tanned complexion with a six pack. He was also on the Quidditch team and their star beater. Sirius was the other beater. Natalie smiled at the two and went to sit beside Sirius. Lily and James.  
  
"Sirius how are you and your bimbette?" asked Natalie smoothly eyeing the girl in Siriuses lap.  
  
"What's Natalie doing with him?" asked Sirius a bit of startlement (A/N: I know. No such word but hey.its my story so there!) in his eyes.  
  
"Don't they look so cute together?" asked Natalie. "I got them together. Lord knows it's been ages since she last dated someone. And she really likes him.a lot. And Terry likes her. They're perfect for each other." Natalie sat back and watched Sirius cover up his startlement.  
  
"Well-good." Said Sirius. "Good for them."  
  
"Finally." Said Lily oblivious to what Sirius was feeling. "I've been waiting forever for her to get over you Sirius. I hated seeing her not going out with anyone. I'm glad she's moved on. I bet you are too aren't you?" she asked nudging him playfully.  
  
"Yea.um I guess." Said Sirius in a muffled voice.  
  
"Oh look!" Lily squealed happily and pointed to Andrea. Andrea was smiling up at Terry who in turn lowered his head and kissed her. Sirius gripped the arm rests of the sofa chair so hard that his knuckles went white. Natalie watched this with pure delight. 'That'll teach him to keep my friend waiting.' She thought to herself smugly.  
  
Sirius suddenly stood up and left for his dorm. "I'm tired." He said shortly.  
  
"Wait!" Lily exclaimed. She took out a clipboard. "I need to write down the names of Gryffindor students who are going home for Christmas."  
  
"Evans use your common sense. What seventh and sixth years would decide to go home and not to the sixth year ball?" asked James annoyed.  
  
"It's part of procedure." Said Lily.  
  
"And none of the prefects are going because they have to open the ball with a dance and supervise everything." Added James. "Hell with procedure. Are you planning on going around and asking everyone if they want to go home for Christmas?"  
  
"What's wrong with that?" asked Lily getting angry. "We're supposed to do that."  
  
"Yes but here's a simpler way." Said James and grabbed the clipboard from her. He stood on a table and clapped his hands. "Hey everybody listen up!" he yelled. The common room quieted. "Anyone who wants to go home for Christmas has to sign this paper!" he held up the clipboard and attatched to it was a paper. "I'm going to put it up beside the common room entrance so that way none of you can miss it." He jumped of the table and tacked the clipboard onto the wall beside the common room entrance. At once about ten younger students lined up to sign it. James then went back to where he had been sitting.  
  
"Simple as that." He said and wiped his hands as if he'd just done a hard job. "Ask everyone...honestly." he muttered.  
  
"You're supposed to ask everyone." Said Lily through gritted teeth.  
  
"No you're not. You do because your to stupid to think of an easier way to get people to sign that bloody thing." James retorted.  
  
Lily was seething but she had to admit it was pretty smart of James to think of that. No wonder he's a prefect. Lily found herself thinking but felt horrified at herself for admitting it. She shot him a glance to find him staring stupidly at a letter. 'Why does that letter look so familiar?' she asked herself but didn't give it another thought. She went back to staring at Andrea and Terry. Sirius on the other hand had had enough and went up to his dorm.  
  
Natalie sighed as she looked between James and Lily. Then to Andrea and Terry and then to Sirius. Cassidy and Lily were staring at Sirius quizzically. He never slept at ten o clock. He usually stayed up till twelve. Natalie wondered if she was the only one who knew what was really going on with everybody  
  
A/N: OMG! WOW! That was eleven pages! Longest chapter I've had on this story yet. Ok also im really sorry for not updating for so long but my computer crashed AGAIN! I don't know WHY it keeps on doing that! And as always ALL of my docs were deleted so I had to start over. I wrote this all in one day cuz I wanted to get this chapter out but those of you reading my other stories will have to wait. Princess Lily won't be updated for sometime and neither will Tale of True love. Expect only to protect you in a week or two but the other two..give me till atleast till atleast around Christmas time ? PLEASE? I might update those two sooner but it doesn't look like it. Just don't think I've abandoned any of my stories! Also I'd like to thank everyone for their great reviews! They really kept me going. However I also got a flame.ordinarily I like flames (yes crazy me!) because they tell me the faults I have in my writing and then I can improve my writing. Actually I've never gotten a flame ...well not in my eyes. I sometimes get reviews with criticism in them which really helps and to some pple this might seem like a flame. In my eyes this is a flame:  
  
what the hell is this? u cant even write and u call this a story? u are a funking tramp! Bitch! bitch!  
  
This is probably the author (they did not leave a signed review. Their name was Ruby is a freaking bitch) Of fair Lily who I flamed for copying Emmyjeans story..either that or it is just some really pissed off person taking their anger out on me. Anyway I wont take down the flame cuz its my first flame! Lolz! ( but seriously that flame really hurt. And whoever wrote it can just.fuck off so there.  
  
On a happier note.  
  
I'M ON 40 PPLES FAVS LIST! **does a little dance** OMG! OMG OMG! I could just jump for joy! 40 people! WOW! I don't deserve all this my stories aren't as good as I would like them to be..but thank you so much! I love you all! Thank you I didn't think anyone REALLY liked my stories.thank you so much! I'm so happy! Ok enough of that. Click the button and review pples! Ideas help as im starting to run out of them.;) 


	6. Chapter 6:Surprises

Lily stared angrily at her wrist during dinner. It was the same wrist that James had practically scarred. She stared at it and felt anger surge through her. The imprint marks of her bracelet wouldn't go away for sometime. Lily picked up her bookbag and made her way to the library for her tutoring lessons with James. She plopped down in a seat. She and James had come to a decision to tutor each other for half an hour everyday. Even though Lily would never tell James she had to admit that the these tutor lessons were really helping her in transfiguration.  
  
James arrived and curtly sat down across from her. He got out a quill and some parchment. Lily cleared her throat. "Right lets begin with the homework we got." She said. It was usually Lily who did all the talking while James just sat back and barely said a word unless he was explaining some complicated piece of transfiguration to her. Time seemed to go on forever and Lily wondered when the half an hour would be up.  
  
* * *  
  
"O.K. what's the matter?" asked Remus. Cassidy sat beside him staring at her hands.  
  
"Nothing." She said. She didn't want to tell Remus what was running through her mind. What was bothering her was Lily. Her best friend would be crushed when and if she found out that James was.this wasn't a game this was her best friends life.her heart on the line and Cassidy couldn't just sit back and be a spectator. She had to do something.but what? She wanted to have James and Lily ATLEAST become friends before Lily found out but how? She couldn't do it alone.  
  
"Don't lie." Said Remus. "Come on. Tell me. What's wrong?"  
  
Cassidy sighed. "Nothing. I'm just tired." Cassidy couldn't tell Remus. He'd tell James.  
  
"Cass.come don't you trust me?"  
  
"It's not my secret to tell." Said Cassidy. "I trust you and if it was something about me I would tell you but I can't. You know I would Remmie." She said and curled up beside him.  
  
Remus sighed and enveloped her in a hug. "I could help you if it's a problem.you don't have to tell me who this problem is about.I want to help. I can't stand seeing you worried."  
  
Cassidy gave him a grateful look and thought for a moment. "O.K." she began. "I know this girl. She's er..she loves this guy but also hates him. The point is she doesn't know the guy she loves is also the guy she hates. She thinks they're two different people and when she finds out that the guy she loves is the guy she hates she'll be crushed. I mean this is her heart on the line. One wrong move could totally destroy her life." Cassidy felt the words flow out of her mouth easily and a weight lift of her chest slowly. She went on. "And there's no doubt that she won't find out. Because the Christmas ball is when Lily promised she'd meet James and when they see each other hell will break loose! I told her not to trust that Jeremy guy but did she listen to me? Nooo. Now look where her follow my heart crap has gotten her and James probably doesn't even love her like she loves him and- " Cassidy suddenly clapped her hands over her mouth.  
  
"Hold on." Remus said. "So Lily.." He trailed of trying to register what he had just heard. "Cassidy, Lily is Elizabeth?"  
  
Cassidy nodded slowly. "What are we going to do Remus? Your best friend has been playing with my best friends heart for almost three years!"  
  
"Cassidy James has NOT been playing with her heart. He loves Lily er I mean Elizabeth. He loves Elizabeth and he'll practically explode when he finds out the truth. He'll think it was some kind of sick joke." Said Remus dazedly. "It's just. I can't believe Lily- I thought Elizabeth was Kayla or someone.."  
  
"Well believe it!" Cassidy exclaimed. "And if you tell James I swear I'll kill you and we can't tell Sirius!" She knew that if Sirius got wind of this whole situation it would reach the minister of magic himself.  
  
"O.K. fine we won't tell Sirius but how did you find out?" asked Remus.  
  
"Well Natalie.has her contacts." Said Cassidy. She didn't want to embarrass James by telling Remus the truth. James had been mortified enough as it was when he found out that Natalie wasn't Elizabeth. She knew James would tell Remus when he was ready.  
  
"O.K..why am I getting the feeling that you're hiding something else from me?" asked Remus.  
  
"Oh James'll tell you when he's ready. For now..just think of something we could do to. I dunno maybe fix things?" said Cassidy sarcastically.  
  
"O.K. calm down." Said Remus. "Why don't we get the two to be friends. Which reminds me why did Lily hate James so much since the first time she saw him? I mean James had always been.well fairly nice to her and she just saw him and treated him like well.crap." Said Remus frankly.  
  
Cassidy began to giggle. "Oh well." She said giggling. "Lily had always been a bit interested in James.until fourth year that is. And she's not too good at showing her feelings. I mean you know that thing with her sister so she's always been a bit closed in. She doesn't like people to get to close to her. I mean she was so close with her older sister and Lily told us that they had been the best of friends. They'd planned on getting married to twin brothers and on the same day so that they would never have to live apart from each other. Then when she got her letter.well Petunia just kind of closed up and began to act really nasty towards Lily.you know this right?" asked Cassidy and Remus nodded. "Well she's always been afraid of anyone getting close to her. I hear it took Jeremy all of fourth year to gain her complete trust and me and Andrea well it took us a good part of first year to get her to open up. But the point is she was rude to James because she was afraid of getting close to him. It was like a reflex. Andrea and I didn't figure it out until fourth year. Notice that she's not as hostile towards James now than she was in oh let's say third year."  
  
Remus nodded. "So now you mean there might just be a chance that they could be friends?"  
  
Cassidy nodded. "It's a possibility. We could try."  
  
Remus nodded again. "Feel better now?" he asked.  
  
"Much." Said Cassidy and kissed him.  
  
* * *  
  
Andrea sighed. She was wearing midnight blue robes with silver lining on them and was on a date with Terry. She was also bored out of her mind. Terry was nice and really sweet to her but.it wasn't the same as when she was with Sirius. Natalies voice then came into her mind.  
  
"Don't worry." She had said. "You'll forget all in due time about that jerk."  
  
Andrea sighed. 'I'm so pathetic.' She thought to herself. 'I should just move on.' But she couldn't. She just couldn't.  
  
She was out on a favorite spot of hers. Terry had known that and had brought her out here but he didn't know why it was her favorite spot. It was a small hill overlooking the Hogwarts grounds. This was where Sirius had first kissed her. She remembered the night as if it had been yesterday. It had been a full moon and a very cold night. Andrea could even see her breath and the snow was slowly melting away as the days passed. Sirius in his dog form had come up to her and since she didn't know how Sirius looked in his Anigmagus form she'd thought it was a stray and began to pet it. Sirius had suddenly popped into his normal form and kissed her before she herself could register what had just happened. When she'd asked why he'd kissed her he had rather shyly (well shy for Sirius that is) said that he had had a small crush on her for sometime now and asked if she'd go out with him. Andrea had nodded and he'd given her another mind blowing kiss. For the rest of the night both of them had just sat there and watched James, Remus and Peter run around in their animal forms. They'd been watching from a safe distance of course so there was no danger of Remus smelling them. Besides when Andrea had sat there in Siriuses arms she'd felt as if no harm could come to her and would've gladly braved thousands of werewolves if he was with her.  
  
Andrea looked at Terry. He was getting out the food he'd brought for their picnic. "You seem preoccupied." He said taking out two glasses. "Anything bothering you?" Andrea shook her head.  
  
"I don't feel well." She lied. "Terry this was really sweet of you but I don't feel to good."  
  
"Want to go back?" he asked.  
  
Andrea nodded. "I'm really sorry. I know you went through a lot of trouble to set this all up but I just want to go back to my dorm and lay down."  
  
Terry nodded. "Why don't you go on ahead. It'll take sometime to pack this all up again and I have to return the basket and plates to the house elves."  
  
"Thanks." Said Andrea. She got up and shivered.  
  
"Do you want my cloak?" asked Terry. He took of his cloak and put it around her. He kissed her gently before bidding her goodnight and Andrea turned and left.  
  
She walked into the Hogwarts castle and drew Terrys cloak close around her. For some reason it seemed colder in the castle. Andrea breathed in Terrys scent and her first thought was that Sirius smelt better. 'Stupid.' She scolded herself. She heard a soft thudding sound from the closet on her left side and approached it cautiously. She heard something like a soft muffled shriek and felt her blood run cold. 'What if someone's being attacked?' she thought to herself. She put a perfectly manicured hand on the doorknob and silently counted to three as the scuffling sounds became more violent. A small gasp issued from the closet and Andrea flung the door open. Two people fell out. A guy and a girl. Andrea looked at the couple to see Sirius with his front two buttons open and Kayla with her front of hrt robes undone.  
  
"Sirius?" gasped Andrea. A film of tears suddenly came over her eyes. "Sorry.I.I didn't mean to. I thought."  
  
"It's O.K." said Sirius standing up. He didn't bother to help Kayla up. Sirius stared hard at her and his eyes portrayed pure guilt. He then noticed tears building up in Andreas eyes. "Is something wrong?" he asked.  
  
Andrea swallowed and tried to shake her head. Her mind was screaming that no she wasn't alright and that she felt as if her heart was being ripped in two. She hated seeing him with other girls. It made her cry for half the night whenever she saw him with a girl but this time she felt pain beyond relief. 'Why don't they just put the Crucio curse on me?' she thought to herself.  
  
"I-I'm fine." Said Andrea and drew Terrys cloak around her as if it would save her from the pain. 'You like Terry. Terry likes you. He'll always be there for you.' She thought to herself.  
  
"Did I do something wrong?" asked Sirius confused.  
  
Andrea shook her head. But inside she was screaming that yes he did do something wrong. In fact he did everything wrong. Why get together with her when she was going to break her heart anyway? Why break up with her? And why does he look so guilty?  
  
"You didn't do anything wrong." Said Andrea in a shaky voice. "I just don't feel well and it's getting to me. My heads been hurting all day and I had a small fight with Terry." She lied. Sirius began to say something but Andrea suddenly saw hope or was it happiness in his eyes? She then broke down and cried. Sirius put a hand on her shoulder but Andrea pulled away and ran. She turned right around and ran back out onto the grounds. She ran past the whomping Willow and felt as if she was leaving all her worries behind. Her hair flew out behind her and she kept running until she thought her lungs would burst. She would've still kept on running if it wasn't for the fact that she ran into Terry. He dropped the picnic basket surprised and enveloped her in a hug.  
  
"Shh. Andy what's wrong? Tell me. Calm down." He said soothingly as Andrea buried her head in his chest.  
  
"I hate Sirius Black." She sobbed out and Terry let out a sigh.  
  
"So that's it." He said with realization in his voice.  
  
"Oh Terry please don't take it the wrong way." Sobbed Andrea. "but-"  
  
"But you still like him? And dare I even say it maybe love him." Terry finished of.  
  
Andrea nodded and her sobs began to reduce. Terry gently sat her down on a rock behind her and kneeled beside her with his hand over hers.  
  
"Andrea listen." Terry began. Andrea looked up sniffing. "I know that you still have a thing for Sirius but face it. He doesn't have any interest in you. I know it'll take sometime but maybe.maybe you could find a place in your heart for me?" he asked looking at her hopefully. "I could offer you so much more than Sirius."  
  
"What are you saying?" asked Andrea in a shaky voice.  
  
"I'm saying that I think I love you." Said Terry.  
  
Andrea didn't say anything. "Please Andrea" Terry pleaded. "Give me one chance. Sirius has treated you like nothing but dirt and I on the other hand have treated you like a Queen. But the truth is Andrea you are a queen. You're the queen of my heart (A/N: how corny can this guy get?)." He kissed her hand. "Do you think you could ever learn to love me?" he asked sincerely.  
  
Andrea felt tears. Warm hot tears run down her cheeks. "never." She croaked out. "Never has anyone ever said something so sweet to me before. Terry." She said in a shaky voice and fell into his arms. "No matter what happens. Even if we're not together after Hogwarts and even after 20 years from now you'll always hold a place in my heart. "  
  
"As will Sirius.." Said Terry softly.  
  
Andrea nodded. "Please you have to understand." She sobbed into his shoulder.  
  
Terry patted her back. "I do. I always do." He whispered into her ear. "Come on. Lets go. It's getting late." He easily lifted Andrea up with him and both walked back into the castle with Andrea holding onto him for dear life. Terry was practically carrying her as they walked into the hall and towards the portrait. They walked into the common room and sat down by the fire. Terry ran his fingers through Andrea's hair and she felt herself suddenly relax. He loved her and that's all that mattered.  
  
Then a voice spoke up from the back of her mind 'But do you love him?'  
  
* * *  
  
Lily sat in her dorm doing her herbology homework. Natalie suddenly ran in squealing happily.  
  
"Oh Lily it's so sweet! Come and look!"  
  
"What?" asked Lily.  
  
Natalie grabbed Lilys hand and dragged her downstairs. "look." She said.  
  
Lily saw Andrea curled up next to Terry. Her eyes were red and puffy but she looked relaxed. Her eyes were closed and Terry was running his fingers through her hair while he whispered soothing words into her ear.  
  
"Awww." Lily cooed. "How sweet."  
  
"I wish I had someone like that." Natalie whispered.  
  
"Me too." Said Lily.  
  
"You have Jeremy." Natalie butted in.  
  
"I don't. Not yet anyway." Said Lily. She got a dreamy look on her face. "But when I do meet him.Oh Natalie my life'll become perfect when we meet. My life will be complete." She said and sighed happily.  
  
Natalie looked at Lily. Natalie knew how wrong Lily was.  
  
* * *  
  
It was the next day and there were approximately four more weeks until the Christmas ball. Lunch had just finished but Lily had been so absorbed in her book that she hadn't noticed. The tables were emptied and no one else other than James was still sitting there. He sat on the other end of the table writing something but Lily didn't notice him. An owl stood beside him waiting patiently. He tied the letter he'd been writing to the owls leg. The owl flew of and his eyes followed the owl expecting it to fly out of the window. Nothing could've prepared him for what he saw next. The owl had flown and landed beside Lily.  
  
  
  
  
  
A/N: Muahahahahahaahha! Me evil! I know! I don't write for almost a month and then leave you guys with a major cliffhanger! Ok im sorry I haven't written for so long but I had my tests and then I had to go to these weddings and Christmas shopping.oh and I also had wirters block. I'm just recovering from it so forgive me if this chapter sucked but I HAD to have very little L/J interaction in this one so that I could end the last part up with a big bang. See weren't you guys surprised? I bet you didn't expect me to do that! Anyway I wasn't even going to add that but then I decided oh what the hey everyones waited long enough! So what do you guys think is gonna happen? Will James  
  
Snog Lily senseless.  
  
Or Get into a huge major fight and cause a wizarding World War I?  
  
Or C) Keep quiet and surprise Lily at the Christmas Ball?  
  
Here's the best part. I'm not sure! I have an ending for all of these parts planned out and I can't decide but you guys can help! Wanna know how? If you guys give me A LOT of reviews I guarantee that the two will get together in less than two chaps. If you guys don't give me a lot of reviews I'll make James cause a world war I thing and never forgive Lily until they're 22 and get drunk and sleep together and EVEN THEN I'll make them fight and baby Harry will be born as an illegitimate child. Oh that's not a bad idea..JUST KIDDING! The point is review and I promise to update in a week. If i don't get a lot of reviews though..well expect me to update after a long time and have something similar to my idea up there happen. Oh and those waiting for my other stories to be updated I promise I will update and you guys'll get good long chaps. Oh and thank you everyone for reviewing and im on 49 fav. Lists! THANK YOU!  
  
And Heracles I LOVE your story! I read it a LOOONG time back! Its on this l/j archive and I read it over there and I loved it! Im so glad you updated! You're one of my fav. Authors! I cant believe you actually added me to your favs! I wish I could write like you! Anyway everyone better review and thank you everyone for your reviews! I just have on small request! I would like an analyzed review please so I can see if im portraying the other characters the way I want to. Im trying to give each of them a different life.not one that revolves solely around Lily and James.so please give me a nice LONG analyzed review.thanks! Oh and everyones been asking me where I got an idea like this from. Well believe it or not it's a true story! Well kinda.you see I have a friend who is like 13 and she met this guy who is like 16 on net! Anyway he lives in the sametown and all and both of them really REALLY like each other and they've made about a billion plans to meet at different places but they never are able to find each other! They've even talked on the phone and all that. It was really funny how my friend was asking strangers if she could borrow their cellphone and phone her bf to see if he's at the carnival. Anyway they missed each other AGAIN! Lolz. And Andreas love story is also real and so is Cassidys.oh except my friends bf isn't her brothers best friend.well he is sorta. You see her parents are really strict and so her bf pretended to make friends with her older brother so that he could come visit her and just say that he's here to visit my friends brother! So yea everythings real.kinda.and geuss who I am? Natalie! No I am not a year younger than my friends im the oldest out of them all but I just don't socialize with them I make friends with practically everyone (yea and I really have problems with money during Christmas cuz I gotta get the whole school presents!). And yes I know almost everyone's probs but I do not look like some perkie cheerleader! I made the character and it was important for her to be a year younger and she was also a very crucial character for my plot and then I looked for someone to base her character on and i thought why not me? She already was kinda like me..knows all of everyones secrets and probs.. So that's why I make Natalie seem so nice! Lolz. Oh and Kayla is also based on someone as is partricia and um.some other pple! Anyway analysed reviews pplz! I'd really appreciate it and the next chap is already half written.I'd write faster if I got nice long reviews (hint hint) OH yea and  
  
Merry Christmas everyone! (well those of you who do celebrate Christmas and those of you that don't please don't take offense or something.)  
  
Disclaimer: I own Natalie and Terry.aww Terrys so sweet! I also own Kayla (the coughbitchcough). 


	7. Chapter 7: James and Lily find out REVIS...

A/N: I revised the chappie! The whole Lily dieing thing isn't working out for me. So reread it pleeze and tell me if this is better or the last one!  
  
  
  
Lily sat completely absorbed in her book. She suddenly looked up and saw an owl sitting beside her. She smiled and unrolled the letter from its leg. She'd been expecting a letter from Jeremy. However she didn't get past the dear before a warm hand gripped her arm from behind. She felt the pit off her stomach drop oddly and looked up. James Potters eyes looked back at her with pure hatred and something else that Lily couldn't describe.  
  
"Where did you get that letter?" he demanded.  
  
"Shove of." Lily growled and shrugged his arm of. "It's none of your business. Besides what would you know about love? A love that's so strong that even though I've never seen him but still love him. A love that's so strong that-"  
  
"It can survive through not seeing each other for two and a half years." James finished of impatiently. "Cut the crap Evans. A love where two people have never seen each other but love each other madly. A love where our souls are the same blah blah blah. I've heard enough of your lies."  
  
Lily looked at him strangely. "What the hell are you talking about?" she asked getting angry.  
  
"Maybe this'll refresh your memory." James spat. He reached inside the inner breast pocket of his robes and took out pages of parchment that were all rolled up in one. A silver chain was tied around the roll, glinting in the candle light. James threw the roll at her and Lily despite her poor catching skills caught it expertly with wide eyes. The stationary seemed familiar.too familiar. She slipped the silver chain of and unrolled one parchment. She stared back at her own writing.  
  
Dear Jeremy, Dear Jem, Dear love..  
  
"How'd you." Lily trailed of still unable to comprehend what James was saying. Her brows were furrowed in confusion. And then suddenly realization dawned on her. She gripped James shoulders and shook him slightly. "How'd you get these letters?!" she asked frantically. "How'd you get these letters?!"  
  
James pulled Lilys hands of his shoulders and stared at her. "Stop with the jokes Lily!" he yelled and Lily winced. James had never talked to her like that.never. He'd never been this angry with her. He'd never used her first name either. "I would have never expected something like this from you! I can't believe you'd stoop so low! For two years you've strung me along! Two years dammit! Didn't our two years mean anything to you!?" he asked furiously. "I loved Elizabeth!" he yelled and Lily saw his eyes portray hurt and something which looked like tears build up in his eyes. "She wasn't real! I can't believe-"  
  
"Wait a minute!" Lily exclaimed getting angry. "You storm up in here and start yelling your ass of at me for something I haven't even done! You great big prat! Maybe it's you who's playing the trick on me! Jeremy would never.you can't be Jeremy! He's-"  
  
"Shut up Lily! Just shut up! Don't you dare talk to me like that! You played this prank on me and stop pretending otherwise! Yes I am Jeremy! Get it through your head! I feel as if the love of my life just died!" he yelled and a tear streamed down his cheek. He wiped the rest away with his thumb before they even left his eyes. "There won't be any more Elizabeth for me to talk to or joke with. There won't be anymore Elizabeth for me to complain to on how much I miss her.there won't be any Elizabeth for me to meet at the Christmas ball.." He trailed of. At that moment Lily realized that he could never have played this joke on her. He was Jeremy. He spoke just like him...he sounded the way Jeremy did on wizard net. He-he was the one she had loved for so long. But now she couldn't love James Potter. It was to.bizarre. "I can't believe I liked you even for a little bit in first year!" he turned and stormed out of the Great Hall.  
  
"Wait James!" Lily yelled in anger. He stopped but his back was still turned towards her. "Fine just-just think what you want! I don't care! I just want you to know that it was never a joke. I loved Jeremy with all my heart and soul. I never thought-thought that you could-I was stupid. We should've met a long time ago before I- before I-" she choked on her last sentence.  
  
"Before you what?" asked James angrily with his back to her, still.  
  
"Before I fell in love with Jeremy." She whispered.  
  
James turned to face her with puffy red eyes. "Me too." He whispered before leaving.  
  
* * *  
  
James stormed into the common room and looked towards Natalie. She was sitting with her friends talking and laughing. He went over to her with cold fury in his eyes. He roughly grabbed her arm and dragged her up.  
  
"Hey James what the-" she started as he pulled her towards a corner where Andrea, Cassidy, Peter, Sirius, Remus and Terry sat.  
  
"You leave." He said pointing at Terry.  
  
"No he stays." Said Andrea.  
  
"Fine." James spat. "How many of you knew that Lily was Elizabeth?"  
  
"What?!" asked Sirius falling out of his chair.  
  
Everyone else wore expressions of panic and guilt. Natalie sighed. "All of us knew."  
  
"Even dumb pretty boy here?" asked Sirius referring to Terry who looked angrily at Sirius.  
  
Terry nodded and put an arm over Andreas shoulders. "Ans told me everything." Andreas heart gave a tug. She had many nicknames. Ands, Andy, Drea, A and one rarely used which was Ans. Why was it rarely used? Because Sirius used to call her that. It had been his special name for her when they'd gone out. Sirius's hands tightened into fists.  
  
"What about Peter?" asked Sirius through clenched teeth.  
  
Peter nodded. "Remus told me." He said.  
  
"And none of you bothered to tell me!" he yelled. "6 people! Six people knew what Lily was doing to me and didn't tell me! Yes we made a promise but it was a fake promise! She strung me along dammit! She played with my heart and threw it in the trash can! And all you guys could do was sit by and watch?!"  
  
Cassidy stood up as did Andrea. Natalie, Cassidy and Andrea stood with their hands on their hips as one and stared at James.  
  
"What do you mean?" asked Andrea in a deathly whisper. "Are you accusing her of playing you?"  
  
"Yes!" James yelled.  
  
"James." Said Cassidy quietly. "Lilys nothing without Jeremy.she depends on him. What have you done?"  
  
"I did what any respectful guy would do!" James yelled. "I gave her a piece of my mind!"  
  
"You ass she wasn't joking around with you!" Andrea yelled. Natalie and Cassidy held her back to keep her from lunging at James.  
  
"lemme go!" she yelled furiously. "Let me go!"  
  
"Lily needs us right now." Natalie said matter of factly. "Lets go find her."  
  
And the three left without another glance at James. Natalie still keeping a firm hold on Andrea in case she decided to lunge herself at James.  
  
"How come no one told me!" Sirius exclaimed. "I mean even 2 brain celled guy here knew!"  
  
"Excuse me but I'm sitting here if you haven't noticed." Said Terry dryly.  
  
"Who cares?" asked Sirius matter of factly.  
  
"Listen you might wanna be a little nicer to me because you're stuck with me for sometime!" Terry yelled.  
  
"Woopee." Said Sirius. "He thinks he's gonna win Andys heart and marry her."  
  
"Which is more than I can say for you!" Terry retorted. "Stop being a jealous git and live with the fact that you're too late! Ans with me now and-"  
  
Terry was suddenly pushed up against the wall with Sirius' hand around his neck and the other ready to punch him.  
  
"If you ever call her Ans again I swear I'll kill you." He said dangerously.  
  
Terry smirked. "You could've kept her when you had the chance. But you didn't and now you're too late. Some guys may be afraid of you Sirius Black but I'm not. I use to respect you but after what you did to Andy.you lost it all." He pushed Sirius of him and straightened his collar. "So stop being a jealous git and get yourself straightened out." He said and left.  
  
Sirius sighed.  
  
"Excuse me but can we get back to the original topic?" asked James. "Which was-WHY THE HELL YOU PRATS DIDN'T TELL ME WHO LILY WAS!?"  
  
"Remus made me promise not to tell!" Peter quipped up. Remus threw him a dirty look before looking back at James.  
  
"Yes I made him promise not to tell. I knew you'd blow up once you found out."  
  
"Like I'm not blowing up right now?!" James yelled. By now more than half the common room was paying attention to their conversation.  
  
"James can we continue this in our dorm so that our private lives are not revealed for the whole school to gossip about?" asked Peter.  
  
James ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "Fine lets go." He growled and the four marauders walked upstairs into their dorm.  
  
"Now." Said James staring at Remus. "Explain.  
  
"Cassidy and I decided to at least make you and Lily friends somehow before telling you. And this wasn't the way I planned on letting you find out." Said Remus sighing heavily.  
  
"Why couldn't you just tell me? It's so easy! Just go yo James Lilys been playing you for a jackass and pretending to be Elizabeth so she could make a fool out of you!"  
  
"James mind your language." Said Remus. "You barely ever swear."  
  
"Except when I'm completely hacked of like I am RIGHT NOW!" he exclaimed.  
  
"She was not playing with you!" Remus exclaimed. "You just want to believe that because you hate her! Because you were afraid she might think that you played a prank on her and you can't bear to have Elizabeth mad at you! James I know that deep down in your heart you know she loves you.you just don't want to admit it."  
  
James didn't reply. He just drew the curtains around his four-poster and lay down. "I need to be alone for awhile." He muttered and turned his back to them.  
  
The other three marauders shrugged and sat down on Remuses bed.  
  
"So." Said Sirius. "Want to make plans for the next full moon? Its coming in a few more weeks."  
  
"No.we've never made plans for the next full moon without James." Said Peter.  
  
"First time for everything." Muttered Sirius.  
  
"Lets go find Lily." Muttered Remus. Sirius and Peter agreed.  
  
* * *  
  
Andrea, Cassidy and Natalie made their way towards the Great Hall hoping to find Lily there. When they had no luck there they tried the castle ground, the kitchens, the astronomy tower and then finally made their way to their dorms hoping that when Lily calmed down she would come back. None of them thought Lily would be up in her dormitory doing the unexpected.  
  
They opened the door and smelt something burning. Looking at the floor they found a small fire in the middle of the dormitory. Lily angrily walked towards it holding a small box. Opening she took out the package of CCfs and threw it in. She took out some papers in the box and ripped them in half before throwing them into the small fire.  
  
"I hate him!" Lily shrieked ripping more pieces of parchment. "I hate him! I hate him! I hate him!" and she threw the ripped bits of parchment in her hand into the fire. Still parchment cluttered the floor. Lily took no notice and got out another handful of letters out of the box and ripped them to shreds. Parchment cluttered the floor in a thick layer while a few only reached the fire and were burned. Lily spotted the bracelet and made a move to throw it into the fire but suddenly hesitated and stared at it. Andrea seized the opportunity to stop Lily.  
  
"Stop it!" Andrea exclaimed and ran over to Lily. She hugged Lily hard and pushed the box out of her hand. "Lily you're not in your senses right now but I guarantee that later on you'll regret burning all those things. So don't. Just-rest for awhile."  
  
"Andy I hate him." Lily sobbed. "I hate him so much. Jeremy would never do something like this to me. He-he can't be-J-" but Lily broke down into sobs.  
  
"Oh Lily he is. I know you don't want to believe it but he is Jeremy." Said Andrea. "Natalie told us. Actually everyone has known for sometime that you were-and he was-" Andrea stopped short as Lily pulled away from her best friends hug.  
  
"You-" Lily raised a shaking hand accusingly at Andrea. "you knew?" she asked disbelievingly. "And never told me?"  
  
"You told us not to!" Natalie exclaimed suddenly.  
  
"But-but it's different when the guy is James! I wouldn't have been angry if you told me it was James!" Lily exclaimed. "you know how much we hate each other! All of you knew what would happen once we found out! You guys should've told us before anything went any further." Lilys voice was shaky and sounded as if she couldn't believe her friends would do such a thing. "All of you knew-knew what would happen to us0to him-to me. But still you three never told-never even thought-how could you-" Lily looked around her hopelessly.  
  
"Lily we-we didn't know what to do!" Cassidy exclaimed. "What would you have done? We planned on at least trying to make you guys friends before-" She stopped short.  
  
"Before what?!" asked Lily angrily she looked down at the now smoldering fire and felt memories wash over her. Her expression softened. Memories of late night chats, letter reading, promises of love-of life. Lily sighed. "I just-I'm overreacting. I need to clear my head-I need to be alone for awhile." With that Lily drew the curtains around her bed and laid down.  
  
"We'll just leave you to your thinking then." Said Andrea nervously. When she got no response she turned and left with Natalie and Cassidy.  
  
* * *  
  
"Both are in denial." Andrea stated. She sat leaning on Terry on a couch next to the fire. Remus and Cassidy sat sharing a sofa chair while Sirius sat in a chair. All of them were in a circle around the fire.  
  
"Give them time. They'll come around." Remus assured. Andrea shook her head.  
  
"I doubt it." She said. "They'll need some help."  
  
"Oh no you don't." said Sirius suddenly. "None of us are going to play matchmaker. We're going to let everything take its course and what is meant to happen will happen." He looked around. "Everyone go that?"  
  
"But-" Andrea protested. Sirius cut her of.  
  
"No." said Sirius. "They have enough going on in their lives at the moment. They don't need you going around and messing with it."  
  
Andrea began to get angry. "I think you're confusing me with yourself Sirius." She said in a steely voice. "Because messing up peoples lives is your specialty not mine."  
  
Sirius stood up. "What are you implying?" he asked angrily. "That I ruin peoples lives?" The whole common room was watching by now.  
  
"Yes." Retorted Andrea standing up. "I see you play girls. I caught Kayla up in her dorm crying awhile ago because you dumped her! Sirius Black you are nothing but a player and that's when I realized that that's all you'll ever be! A player! You've never been serious about one girl in your life! You played them all! Every single one!" Andrea yelled.  
  
"That's not true!" Sirius barked.  
  
"Name one girl you were serious about." Andrea countered.  
  
"You!" Sirius roared. A deafening silence descended the common room and Sirius for once in his life felt mortified. He couldn't believe he'd just said that.  
  
Andrea on the other hand was stunned. Her? Had she heard right? No her ears must've been playing tricks on her. She swallowed. "E-excuse me?" she asked in a choking sort of voice.  
  
"I WAS serious about you." Said Sirius quietly pointedly emphasizing the was.  
  
"Don't shit me." Andrea replied quietly. "Come on Terry." She grabbed his hand and both left the common room. When they were a safe distance away Andrea began to mutter. "Who does he think he is? Was? WAS? That's all he'll ever be-a was. He said WAS." She muttered disbelievingly was.  
  
Terry suddenly stopped walking. "Ans." He said softly.  
  
Andrea looked up and at once felt guilty. "Oh Terry I'm so sorry I didn't mean it like that!" she exclaimed desperately. "I just mean-' she stuttered and tried to think up a good excuse. "I just meant that he was. I mean he'll always do things like that. Like some girl for real for awhile and then when he thinks he's been with her long enough he'll just dump her even if he still likes her. I meant he'll always be a was. Never a a now or a still. You get what I'm saying?" asked Andrea.  
  
"yea." Said terry. He put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. He kissed her cheek. "I love you." She whispered into her hair.  
  
"Mmmm say that again." Andrea cooed happily as they walked towards the castle grounds.  
  
* * *  
  
"Padfoot can you get any stupider?" asked Remus frustrated.  
  
"What?" he asked sitting down.  
  
"Was?! WAS?! YOU WERE NOT WAS SERIOUS ABOUT HER! YOU ARE AN ARE SERIOUS ABOUT HER!" Remus exploded.  
  
"And the sooner Andrea finds out the better." Cassidy added. Sirius didn't reply and folded his hands together.  
  
Cassidy walked over to Sirius and knelt down beside her twin. She gently put her hands over his and made eye contact with him.  
  
"She's slipping through your fingers." Cassidy whispered. "Stop it before it's to late Sirius, please. You're not only destroying your life but hers as well. You two-you two could actually make it happen. You two could actually GET married. So far you two are the most likely couple out of us to get married but still-" she sighed and continued. "still you ignore this fact and go on being a bigheaded person thinking you're all that. Oh sure Sirius this whole popularity, ladies man, bachelor for life thing is good now. But when you're out of Hogwarts and settled down you're going to want that special someone. You're not going to want to be alone anymore. You're going to want someone to actually talk to-not suck face and have a relationship based on sex. Sirius so far Andrea is the only one you've had that relationship with. And she's the only one you CAN have that relationship with. She sees past the glamour, the popularity, the mask. She sees the real Sirius Black. The Sirius Black that she fell in love with-" Cassidy stopped short and suddenly stood up. "Sirius work things out with her before-before she's Terrys forever."  
  
Sirius stood up but didn't reply. He sighed. "Cass I have no idea who you take after because it's certainly not me. But whoever it is-they were one heck of relative." He smiled and hugged her.  
  
"Does that mean you'll talk to Andrea?" asked Cassidy excitedly.  
  
"Don't bet your life on it." Sirius replied smiling.  
  
"but why?" Cassidy whined.  
  
"hey she still loves me! What's the rush?" asked Sirius pulling away.  
  
"huh!?" asked Remus and Cassidy together.  
  
"Excuse me while I go and set a date with Kayla. Must apologize to her for that little breakup. I'm not supposed to break up with her until next Friday-"  
  
SLAP!  
  
Sirius staggered back clutching his cheek. Cassidy was staring at her hand in half shock and half admiration.  
  
"You-you-" Sirius stuttered.  
  
Cassidy suddenly looked up with fire in her eyes. "Yes me!" she shrieked. "You pathetic excuse for a human! I can't believe you! I'm ashamed to call you my brother! I really am! Have you ever thought about how you would feel if something like that ever happened to me?! What if Remus suddenly gets up one day and decides to break up with me because he thinks he can come back to me later?! What if someone gets in a relationship with me based purely on sex and then dumps me after he gets what he wants?! How would you feel then huh?! Every girl is one mans sister and whatever you do to someone it comes back to you!! Have you ever thought of that?! Huh!?" she yelled. "I hope Andrea never forgives you for what you're doing to her! I hope you end up alone for the rest of your life because quite frankly you don't deserve someone! You don't deserve to be happy!" she finished of. And then with a small huff she turned and left with Remus.  
  
Sirius stared at them leave. "Remus you aren't going to support her are you?" asked Sirius disbelievingly.  
  
Remus shot him an angry glare. "Andreas my friend to." He said and left with Cassidy.  
  
Sirius sat there at a loss for words and finally began to realize what Cassidy had been saying.  
  
A/N: REVISED CHAP! Why?! Cuz I WAS REALLY having trouble moving along with the next chapter and I thought it'd be better like this. Be happy lily is not dieing! Yay! Although I could've had SO much fun with that but hey **shrugs** somethings workout and some don't. R&R pple! Be happy this is 11 pages!  
  
Disclaimer: See previous chaps. 


	8. Chapter 8: New feelings arise

A/N: OK you people are going to see some major personality twists now because of what happened in the last chapter. James and Lily are going to start feeling feelings they've never felt before and it's really going to mess their personalities up FOR AWHILE. For example in this chapter James will feel jealousy come over him. It's not his nature to be jealous so he'll be acting a bit different in this chapter. Sorry I haven't updated for quiet awhile but I've been REALLY busy and couldn't find the time to come on net. I have some serious story reading catching up to do. Any1 know any REALLY fluffy fics? Im in the mood for some these days.  
  
It was late night. No one had come back into their dorm. Not even Kayla who had run of crying awhile ago only to be found by Andrea. Lily hoped that Andrea would comfort her. The window was open and moonlight shone through it and onto her bed. Something suddenly glinted in the light. Lily looked at her bedside table to see the bracelet James had given her sitting there. A single tear fell down her cheek. She slowly lifted it and stared at it silently.  
  
She closed her eyes and reclined her head as if trying to make a decision and then she made it. Quietly she slipped the bracelet on and stood up. Her long hair was tangled and messy but looked extremely silky all the same. Lily went and sat on her window ledge and looked over the castle grounds. She saw Andrea and Terry sitting by the lake just talking and laughing. Terry began to tickle Andrea and she laughed hysterically. And then Terry kissed her so lovingly that Lily felt envy course through her. She had been so looking forward to meeting Jeremy and sharing moments like that with him.  
  
Out of the corner of her eye she saw a small figure move but when she looked up no one was there. It had been almost like the moon light reflecting on a mirror. 'An owl.' Lily thought dully. A sudden whoosh of wind made her shiver and bring her arms around her. She was wearing a sleeveless nightgown. Her bracelet glinted in the moonlight. She stepped back from the ledge and suddenly stepped on something. Her red hair falling around her she looked down to find out it was a letter that had escaped her wrath. Picking it up she read it.  
  
Dear Lizzie, Hey how are you love? Hope you're studies are going fine. I know this one girl who's really uptight about her studies. Anyway enough about her. What's up? Anything new? I really miss you Liz. I wish you were here beside me. It drives me crazy sometimes knowing you're in the same school as me but I can't go to you when I miss you. Sometimes I feel like finding out who you are-but I don't. Why? For you love, I know how important meeting at the ball is for you. Sometimes I just want to stand up and shout it out for all the world to hear that I love you. You can trust me to say that at the ball when we meet. I can't wait to see you in person. I wish-I wish-no I hope that I meet up to your expectations because I know you will meet up to mine-no matter what. Hey even if you were in Slytherin I'd love you-but I know you're not from Slytherin. You already told me that much. Sometimes I wonder if you're that raven haired ravenclaw who sits in front of me during Ancient Runes. Or that really smart Hufflepuff who knows the answer to every question in arithmancy. And then I wonder if you're that Gryffindor in the girls dorm that secretly moons over James Potter. But whoever you are Liz I love you. I'll always love you no matter what. Even if things don't work out between us you'll always be in my heart. I wish you were here. Right here beside me. I'm sending a song in this small box. When you open it it'll play our song. I listen to it whenever I miss you.  
  
Lily felt tears fall down her cheeks. She quickly went to her side table and opened the top drawer. A small round box made of gold sat there with leaves and flowers carved onto it. She slowly opened the box and a white light shone inside of it leaking out into the air. A melodious tune began to play that made waves of drowsiness wash over Lily.  
  
"Guess what." Lily whispered as the song played. "Things didn't work out between us and I doubt that I'm in your heart right now. I truly do doubt it." She sighed. "Oh Jeremy-if I knew all those promises would amount to nothing-if I knew James Potter was Jeremy then I would've never pushed him away in first year. Never. It pains me so much to know that we could've been saved a lot of trouble if it wasn't for me and my mistake in first year." Lily held the letter tightly to her chest and let her head rest on the wall behind her.  
  
The song played in the background as Lily sat on the floor her head resting on the wall. Then slowly. Ever so slowly she fell asleep with tear stains on her cheeks while she clutched the letter to her chest with her right hand.  
  
A figure stepped into Lilys dorm through the window and gently picked her. The figure laid her down in bed, pulled the covers over her and kissed her forehead before leaving out the window again.  
  
The next day Lily couldn't remember how she had reached her bed.  
  
* * *  
  
The days passed and Lily and James hadn't spoken a word to each other. The tutoring sessions seemed to go on forever and even then they were sharp and discreet with each other only talking when necessary. But then sometimes Lily would catch James staring at her in class with an unusually tender look on his face as he stared at the bracelet on her wrist and then at her. But then he'd suddenly turn back into his stone hearted self and speak to her with as much sharpness and curtness as he could. Slowly Cassidy forgave her twin and went back to talking terms with him as did Remus and Andrea. Terry and Sirius had some sort of cold war going on that nobody wanted to taka part in so it was basically ignored.  
  
Lily sat in Transfiguration with her finished essay. She'd helped Andrea only a little bit and Andrea was almost done with hers. Lily looked up to see James staring at her. She let out a frustrated sigh.  
  
"He's doing it again." Lily whispered.  
  
"Doing what?" asked Andrea trying to sneak a peek at Lilys essay. Lily smacked Andreas hand away from her essay.  
  
"Ow!" Andrea exclaimed shattering the silence in the classroom.  
  
"Be quiet." Said McGonagall. "Some people are trying to work." She then went back to grading third year pop quizzes.  
  
"Lily." Andrea whispered. "What'd you do that for?"  
  
"I helped you out enough as it is. Do the rest your self. You only have." Lily examined Andreas essay. "ten more inches to go."  
  
Andrea groaned. "Ten inches?"  
  
"What ten inches isn't that much. I could write ten inches worth in two minutes." Said Lily.  
  
"Yea well that's because you have the whole bloody wizard Britannica in your head." Andrea muttered. She tried to look over Cassidy's shoulder who was sitting in front of her.  
  
"Cass Andys at it again!" Lily exclaimed. Cassidy turned around to see Andrea peering at her essay. Cassidy quickly hid hers.  
  
"Ms. Evans!" McGonagall exclaimed. "Of all the people I expected you were the last I thought would disrupt this class. Now do be quiet!"  
  
"Sorry Professor." Lily mumbled.  
  
"Come on Cassidy just one peek. One tiny peek?" Andrea begged.  
  
"No." said Cassidy.  
  
Andrea suddenly smiled. "I know." She said. She took her quill and began to write in her normal handwriting except that it was unusually big writing.  
  
"Andrea!" Lily hissed.  
  
"What?" asked Andrea as she used up one whole line with the two words: complicated spells.  
  
"She'll make you re-do it." Said Lily.  
  
"Oh she will not." Said Andrea. Andrea quickly finished her essay and used up all ten inches with six sentences. Lily hadn't even thought it possible.  
  
"You still have-" Lily stared at it. "one inch left."  
  
Andrea rolled her eyes and scrawled the end. Thank you for reading my essay and handed it in.  
  
McGonagall stared at it with one eyebrow raised but didn't say anything.  
  
Lily looked up to see James staring at her again. "Not again!" she exclaimed. Andrea burst out laughing.  
  
"That's it!" exclaimed McGonagall. "Both of you out!" she demanded referring to Lily and Andrea. "You two have been creating such a disturbance today! Out! You've finished your essays anyway. Out!"  
  
"But-" Lily began to protest.  
  
"Out!" McGonagall exclaimed shrilly. Lily and Andrea got their things and quickly left. "And five points from Gryffindor!" she yelled after their retreating backs.  
  
"What's got her knickers in a twist?" asked Andrea.  
  
Lily shrugged. "Maybe it has something to do with the fact that ever since that Voldemort person-"  
  
"Don't say his name." Andrea hissed.  
  
Lily rolled her eyes and continued. "-she's been a bit overworked. I mean the ministry isn't exactly helping and I think Dumbledore and the Hogwarts teachers are the only ones who are doing anything about him." Lily thought for a moment. "I want to help them when I get out of Hogwarts."  
  
Andrea shuddered. "And risk facing HIM? No thank you. I value my life. Besides I'd rather do something where I make a lot of money-or maybe just marry a rich guy." She added as an afterthought.  
  
"Terry's rich." Lily added slyly.  
  
Andrea smacked Lilys arm and laughed. "Don't go there-at least not yet."  
  
"Oh." Said Lily slyly. "I see."  
  
"What do you mean 'oh I see'?" Asked Andrea mimicking Lilys words.  
  
"where's the ring?" asked Lily excitedly.  
  
Andrea suddenly had a coughing fit. "R-ring?" she asked choking on her laughter. "Lily we might be serious-Don't even go there with those Sirius serious jokes-" andrea added seeing the gleam in Lilys eyes. "As I was saying we might be serious-"  
  
"Siriusly." Lily said.  
  
Andrea groaned. "Stop it lily I hate those jokes."  
  
"Ok, Ok go on." Said Lily.  
  
"We might be serious but I'm only sixteen. I mean do I really want to get into something that- serious at such an early age?" asked Andrea. "Plus he's a seventh year and I'm a lowly sixth year."  
  
"So? My mom and dad are like what? Four whole years apart." Said Lily.  
  
"But Terry is so popular and-hot." Added Andrea matter of factly not at all going into a daze like most girls did-even Lily, when talking about which guy they thought was hot. "And I've seen girls in his year stare at him. They watch his every move and try to gain his attention whenever I'm with him but the really sweet part is Lily that-that he doesn't even see them! He has eyes only for me." She sighed as guilt showed on her face. "But I'm not that-er-into the relationship. Not as much as he is anyways."  
  
Lily nodded sympathetically. "Worried he'll be heart broken when and if you break up with him?"  
  
Andrea nodded examining her nails. "Anyway there are so many pretty seventh year girls. Cleo Chang, Eliza Sinistra, Kelly Longbottom and-" Andrea made a face. "Candy Kane."  
  
Lily choked back a laugh. "Candy Kane? She's named after a Candy? Besides isn't her name Candice?"  
  
"Yea but she had it changed to Candy without her parents permission. She is 18 now after all." Said Andrea examining her nails. "And she's so pretty and popular. She's got that certain 'thing' in her that all the girls want but can't have. If she came to class one day in a pink tutu everyone would think it was cool. But if anyone else did-well you get the picture. They'd be laughed into the next world or something." Said Andrea rolling her eyes. "These days what I think I really need is-is sometime alone. With my friends."  
  
It then hit Lily how little time she'd been spending with her friends. "Hey Andrea how about we all go to Hogsmeade tonight. Me, you, Cassidy and Natalie-if she wants to that is." Lily added.  
  
Andrea nodded her eyes lighting up. "That would be great. We haven't talked properly in ages."  
  
Lily smiled. A roar of laughter suddenly reached their ears. Andrea looked up suddenly.  
  
"Oh there's Terry! What's he doing cutting class?" Andrea asked as she looked towards Terry who was standing in the hall with his friends.  
  
Terry looked up and saw Andrea and Lily. He waved for them to come over. "Cutting class?" he asked with one eyebrow raised.  
  
Andrea giggled. "We were kicked out-what about you?"  
  
Terry shrugged. "The Muggle studies Professor got sick today." He then smiled mischievously. "Kicked out? Tsk, tsk Andrea and I thought you were a good girl."  
  
"Oh shut up it was all Lilys fault."  
  
Terry adjusted his gaze onto Lily. "Lily? Lily the shoe in for head girl next year? Lily McGonagoll's pet? Dear God I think the end is near."  
  
Lily giggled. "It was not my fault and both of you know it." She said. "McGonagoll was just in a bad mood that's all. I mean the marauders make so much noise and they never get kicked out. Oddly enough they were actually quiet today."  
  
Terry laughed. "That's a first. Ow!" he exclaimed as one of his friends rather discreetly elbowed him in the ribs. But Lily had caught the movement and Andrea hadn't.  
  
"What's wrong?" asked Andrea worriedly staring at Terrys side where he had put his hand in pain.  
  
"Nothing." Terry said in pain. He quickly recovered though. "Sorry for not introducing these dolts earlier.' He said referring to his friends. He earned a few Heys from that remark but ignored them. "This-" he pointed to a guy with brown hair and brown eyes. "is Derek." He then turned to his friend who'd elbowed him. "And Lily this is Gregory." Gregory had black hair and sapphire eyes. He smiled at Lily.  
  
"Andrea already knows them of course." Said Terry. "So would you two ladies like to take a walk with us out on the grounds?"  
  
"Love to." Said Andrea and took Terrys offered hand. Both walked infront as Lily walked behind them between Gregory and Derek. She felt a little awkward as she barely knew the two but Greg was so open that Lily felt any tension between them instantly vanish. In no time the five were laughing while they sat by the lake and joked around.  
  
"Hey how much longer until this periods over?" asked Lily suddenly, throwing a rock into the lake.  
  
Derek checked his watch. "Erm-we have some time. Fifteen more minutes. We should head back after about five minutes."  
  
"Yea." Lily agreed.  
  
"What do we have next?" Andrea asked. A small groan emitted from Lilys lips. "Potions." She said.  
  
Terry winced. "Know how that feels. I swear the professor is of his rocker."  
  
"No he's just gay." Said Greg with a snort.  
  
Everybody laughed.  
  
"Time to go." Said Derek checking his watch.  
  
"Hey the steps leading down to the dungeons is on our way." Said terry. "We'll walk you two there." They stood up and began to walk towards the dungeon steps.  
  
Andrea smiled and ruffled his hair affectionately.  
  
"Hey watch the hair!" Terry exclaimed jokingly. Andrea teasingly did the same thing again. "Try that again!" he dared her. Andrea tried to repeat the process again but this time Terry caught her hand. He then bent down and kissed her. Vomiting noises from Derek began to ensue.  
  
Lily giggled. They had reached the dungeon steps. Lily looked up towards her right and saw James along with the marauders coming. James hadn't seen her yet but Lily became so distracted when she saw him that she almost fell down the steps. Greg caught her from behind just in time by the waist and pulled her back. Lily heard a small intake of breath from her right side.  
  
"Are you O.K?" he asked making sure she had her footing before letting his hands leave her waist.  
  
"yea fine." Said Lily turning to face him. She chanced a look at James to see that he was literally glaring at Greg. A thought then struck her. Greg had practically saved her life. If it wasn't for him then she would've been dead or lying at the bottom of those steps with a concussion. "Thanks." Said Lily and gave him a quick friendly hug. "Lets go Andrea." Said Lily and both made their way downstairs. Lily then distinctly heard a voice from upstairs.  
  
"Get your head on the right way Potter!" she heard Greg yell. "It was nothing like that!"  
  
She heard footsteps thundering down towards her until the marauders came into view. James walked past her but not without muttering. "Enjoy your date?"  
  
"What?" asked Lily completely bewildered.  
  
"Yea. I saw you and Samson (Gregorys last name) up there."  
  
'Oh my God.' Lily thought. How thick can a guy get? Lily ignored him and kept walking as James walked on ahead of her. "Just because a guy touches me or I touch him it does not mean we are an item!" Lily yelled after him angrily.  
  
"Yea whatever!" James yelled still walking. Lily ran down to catch up with him leaving the marauders, Cassidy and Andrea way behind.. She lightly hit his arm.  
  
"There I touched you. Does that mean we're an item?!" Lily asked angrily. "No it doesn't so just-leave me alone. Besides even if we were what's it to you?" She asked angrily. James stared at her. He stared at her with such intensity that Lily had to take a step back. His eyes flicked down to the bracelet he had given her. He reached out a hand. Lily swallowed. Was he going to-? No. He wouldn't-that wasn't-but his hand was edging dangerously close to hers. Lily felt her heartbeat quicken and she had a feeling that I f James did touch her she'd have a heart attack. Her heart thudded against her ribcage so hard that she was surprised nobody could hear it. But then suddenly as if he had touched fire he pulled his hand back not even grazing hers. With out a word he turned and walked down the stairs with such speed that Lily wouldn't have been able to catch up with him had she wanted to. Andrea came running down the steps ahead of the rest.  
  
"What happened?" she asked breathlessly blowing a wisp of brown hair out of her face.  
  
"Honestly. What kind of old fashioned person is he?" Lily asked Andrea angrily. "I mean just because-he's so stupid. How could he think-?!"  
  
"Why do you care so much what he thinks?" asked Andrea with a small smile on her face.  
  
Lilys expression softened. "Because I can't stand the thought of Jeremy thinking I'm some slut."  
  
* * *  
  
James walked on down the steps. He couldn't stand it. Samson had touched Liz. The dirty git. He was such a flirt. And even if he wasn't interested in Liz-how dare he touch her? Liz.  
  
His Liz. Not Lily. Liz.  
  
James quietly sat down and waited for the others to arrive. He touched the side of his arm that Lily had lightly hit. Elizabeth had touched him. He felt his stomach do a flip flop. 'Why me?' James thought to himself.  
  
  
  
A/N: Some of you are gonna say they can't just fall in love with each other. NEWSFLASH! They're not falling in love with each other! They do not refer to each other by their real names when they're thinking about each other in romantic sense. James doesn't call her Lily. He calls her Lizzie or Liz! Get it? He at the moment doesn't care if a guy even touches Lily but he does care if a guy touches Elizabeth. He sees Lily and a guy talking and he thinks-that's Liz-and gets jealous. Get it? Get it? I hope you do cuz I don want anyone thinking im having them fall in love with each other. They refer to the other in romantic sense as Liz and Jeremy. When they're mad at each other they call each other James and Lily-does anybody understand what I am saying? OK those of you thinking that James and Lily should've come to some understanding-hello! Read between the lines! I've been dropping small hints everywhere! Lily pushed him away because she didn't want him to close to her! You think she's going to come up with some mutual agreement between them? Besides she hates him because he's a danger to her and Jeremys relationship. Both wanted to keep that fire of dislike alive because of that danger-get it? Read between the lines pple! I cant spell everything out for you! Sorry I'm getting angry at you guys but its been a long day and the author of fair lily plus their friend have been flaming my stories and its getting really annoying. IM SORRY FAIR LILY BUT ITS NOT MY FAULY YOUR WRITING SUCKS!  
  
On the other hand. I AM SO SORRY FOR NOT UPDATING SOONER! But (OH THE SHAME) I was FORCED into being a cheerleader becuz there weren't enough pple (coughditzescough) who signed up! AHHHHHHH!!! I hATE CHEERLEADING! NO offense to any1 who IS a cheerleader but cheerleading at my skool is just- STUPID! You guys are probably gud cheerleaders and all that but in my skool cheerleaders are-are-are just AHHHHHH!!! And on top of that I am at the BOTTOM of the human pyramid-ow my back. Still haven't recovered- and and WHY SHOULD I BE A CHEERLEADER?!! I AM ON THE TEAM! The T-E-A-M! The team that the cheerleaders are supposed to **ahem** CHEER ON?! NO?! Hmm..actolly we're not even having any games these days. BUT STILL! Someone up there hates me! And then on top of that (oh yes there's more!) I haf a shitload of homework EVERYDAY! SO yea. IM REALLY SORRY! But these things have really kept me busy and I should be asleep right now. I swear to God that the next chapter will be up sooner.gimme 2 weeks at the most! The next chap is written and um I don think this chapter was that gud. Plus the next to next chapter is ALSO written. Any1 willing to beta this story? Its almost over (10 chaps left AT THE MOST) and well if anyones willing..email me at ruby_devilsangel@hotmail.com. Don leave anything in ur review cuz I never find the time to go through the whole page and pick through for emails. I barely have enough time to reply my emails so don think I've quit or somin if u don get an email for sometime. ALSO! Does any1 read the Eliza series by Eliza Diawna Snape? I lost the site address and if anyone knows it plz tell me! 


	9. Chapter 9: New friends

"Today we will be preparing a color changing potion. The drinker of the potion will change colors with their mood. I trust all of you have written notes on it. For this potion though everyone needs to pair up."  
  
Lily immediately grabbed Andreas hand as Cassidy looked at Remus. Kayla made gogo eyes at Sirius and James moved to Peters table.  
  
"What makes all of you so sure that I'm letting you decide your partners?" he asked maliciously.  
  
Groans emitted from everyone's lips.  
  
Andrea got paired up with a boy by the name of Danielle Bulstrode. Lily though couldn't care less who she got paired with as long as it wasn't James. "Please not Potter." She muttered under her breath as her name was called out. "Not Potter."  
  
"Evans and Snape!"  
  
Lily opened her eyes and looked towards Snape who was smiling at her in a love sick way. She groaned and got her supplies. "At least it wasn't Potter." She muttered and walked over.  
  
James from the other side of the room was looking furious.  
  
"He can't pair her up with that-that-that slimeball!" James whispered furiously.  
  
"What are you complaining about? Be happy that we got paired together." Said Cassidy straining beetle juice into their cauldron.  
  
"But he-she-" James stuttered.  
  
"Lily's a big girl. She can take care of herself." Said Cassidy smiling to herself James was jealous. "Now be a dear and hand me that vial of gillywater." James grudgingly did so. "Oh and grind the mandrake roots...thank you." Said Cassidy as she saw James begin to grind.  
  
A small familiar giggle made James look up. Snape was sitting close-too close- to Lily and talking to her. She giggled again and handed him a vial of gillywater. He made another comment making her burst out laughing. Snape then put an arm around her shoulders as she bent over and stirred the cauldron. Lily looked up and they bumped heads. Both began to laugh silently. James grinded the mandrake roots with pure anger in him. "Never-" James muttered through clenched teeth. "Has she ever enjoyed that gits company. Why now?"  
  
Cassidy shrugged off handedly. "Let her laugh James. She's been through so much. I mean it's not like she has Jeremy anymore so she can look forward to times like these with him."  
  
James at once felt a pang of guilt run through him. Was Cassidy implying that HE had pushed Lily to this point? That he had practically shoved Lily into Snapes arms? James looked at Snape and Lily to see that Snape was so close to Lily that her chest was practically touching his-not that he was taking any notice of her chest-he felt his cheeks heat up slightly as he thought about that. Both were talking a bit seriously and Lily was just bobbing her head up and down. Lily turned her full face towards the back- towards him- and to James utmost pleasure he saw a look of disgust on her face which she quickly covered up when Snape looked at her.  
  
Lily walked towards the back of the class to get a measuring cylinder. James saw her walk past him and grab the cylinder. But on her way back to her table James didn't know what possessed him. Later on he blamed it on hormones or maybe just instinct. Or maybe he just wanted to. But he grabbed her hand. Lily looked up at him with a start and her eyes were tinged with something like fear. Fear? Fear from him? Lilys eyes changed to flashing anger.  
  
"Let go of my hand." She muttered and stared at Cassidy who had no idea what was going on.  
  
James swallowed and released it. He had felt the bracelet underneath his fingers. "That-" he began staring down at the cylinder with a parched throat. Hope crossed Lilys eyes.  
  
"what?" she whispered.  
  
"Ms. Evans! Mr. Potter I suggest that you two go on a date if you want to stare at each other all day!" barked the potions professor.  
  
"That Cylinder is mine." James ended.  
  
"What?" Lily asked confused looking down at it.  
  
"Yes. Its mine." Said James staring at the measuring cylinder.  
  
All Lily could feel was anger. "Take it." Lily spat and practically threw it at him. "Just take your cylinder and leave me alone!" she yelled. Everyone looked at her. "It's your cylinder fine then! Take it! Don't bother me!" she turned and walked back to her table. The professor was going to say something but Lily looked up at him practically daring him to take points away and so he kept his mouth shut The signal for the end of class went of. Lily began to gather her things quickly. Snape stood there with his bag staring at her. It then hit James why Snape was just standing there.  
  
He meant to walk out of the classroom with her. James purposefully strode towards them and bumped into Snape making him drop his bag. The contents of Snapes bag spilled out and clattered all over the floor.  
  
"Potter." Snape spat.  
  
James looked up innocently but with hatred in his eyes. "What?" he asked in an annoyed voice.  
  
"You did that on purpose."  
  
"Sorry to disappoint you Snape but I have better things to do than pay attention to gits like you. Especially gits who like girls as deceiving and sly as her." He said looking at Lily angrily. He watched Lilys eyes fill with anger, hurt and slowly-tears. James at once regretted his words but it was to late now.  
  
Snape grabbed James by the collar. "Never ever talk about her like that again." He hissed and shoved James away. With a simple spell all of his things returned into his bag and Snape retreated out of the classroom.  
  
"S-S-Severus wait!" Lily called with a slightly trembling voice. Snape turned around in surprise. She'd never called him by his first name. James looked at her surprised. She ran over to Snape. Both left the classroom together leaving James behind.  
  
* * *  
  
"I hate him." Said Andrea staring at Sirius who was flirting away with Kayla.  
  
Terry sighed. "I know."  
  
"I hate him, I hate him, I hate him." She said punching her pillow as Sirius kissed Kayla.  
  
"You already said that." Said Terry looking up from his homework. "Andrea?" he asked tentatively.  
  
"What?" she asked reverting her eyes to Terry.  
  
"Why do you care so much what Sirius does?" he asked.  
  
Andreas eyes widened. "Terry no-I mean-it's nothing like that and you know it."  
  
"I do?" he asked.  
  
"What makes you think-? I mean I'm over him-. Why would-" Andrea stuttered on hopelessly.  
  
"Prove it then." Said Terry.  
  
"How?" asked Andrea.  
  
"You know how." He said and went back to his homework. Andrea leaned her head back and closed her eyes.  
  
"You mean-?"  
  
"Yes." Terry answered. "Three words Andy. Just three words. You've never said them to me. I say them to you all the time. It's become second nature for me." He got up stared at her. "I love saying I love you to you everyday. Andrea I've never felt this way about anyone. I know we're young. I know you're not ready for such a deep relationship but I see no point in us going any further in this thing if you-if you can't say three damn words." "I-I-but-" Andrea stuttered.  
  
"what's up?" asked Sirius coming over to them. He waved to Kayla who waved back and then went up to her dormitory.  
  
"Nothing." Said Andrea. She rubbed her eyes tiredly. "It's late. I'm going up to get some sleep."  
  
"Good night." Said Terry and kissed her cheek. Though with not the same warmth he always did. Besides he usually kissed her full on the lips. "I love you." He whispered in her ear. Andrea shivered and made to walk upstairs. She suddenly realized how much she would miss Terrys kisses if he ever left her. And then she'd have no one. Sirius would probably by then have a family of his own. And she would be left alone. Terry wouldn't even be there anymore.  
  
Andrea turned around just before she stepped on to the first step towards the dorms. She looked at Terry who had gone back to his homework. The candle light illuminated his face and his black hair fell in his eyes in a cute sort of way. She reverted her gaze to Sirius who was now sitting with a group of fifth year girls and flirting shamelessly with them behind Kaylas back. She looked back at Terry and for the first time her heart did a small flip flop as he ran a hand through his hair.  
  
"I-I love you too Terry!" she called from across the common room loud enough for the whole world to hear. Terry suddenly looked up. Andrea smiled at him and two tear drops fell down either cheek. "I love you." She said again. The whole common room had quieted down by now and Sirius had a look of utmost shock on his face. Terry was beside her in a flash.  
  
"I-I thought I'd never hear you say that." He whispered into her ear. He picked her up and spun her around in his arms. Andrea ran her fingers through his hair and felt for once happy. Not as happy as she had been with Sirius but at least she felt happy. Terry even though she hated to admit it was her second choice. If she couldn't have Sirius-well then she'd have Terry. Terry set her gently down onto the ground and began to kiss her. Andrea for once responded with as much enthusiasm as he always did. She couldn't register the fact that his arms were around her waist or that she had her arms around his neck tightly. She couldn't see the jealous looks she was getting from all her fellow Gryffindor girls or the look on Sirius' face. All she knew was that Terry really loved her and that she'd remember this moment forever. They broke away and she felt her knees weaken. Terry however was able to hold her up with his arms around her waist protectively. "Never leave me Terry." She whispered hugging him fiercely. "Please never leave me."  
  
"I never will." He whispered into her ear barely able to contain himself with his excitement. He kissed her again and Andrea kissed back. She didn't know how long they stayed there giving the whole common room a free show but all she did know was that she never wanted to stop.  
  
* * *  
  
Lily sat in the library trying to avoid James. She knew he'd never think of coming to the library-even for snogging sessions with some ditz or another. At once Lily felt a burning feeling in the pit of her stomach as he thought about him groping some floosy. A book lay in front of her but Lily wasn't reading it. She was pondering about how people could be so different from what you thought they were. Jeremy. She'd thought he'd be a sweet, kind, modest, caring person but no. He turned out to be James Potter. And then there was Snape. Lily didn't have any romantic feelings for him. None what so ever but today she had found out he was really a good person. But she would never be able to think of Snape as a lover. No she was beginning to think of him as nothing more than a friend. A good friend.  
  
"Thought I'd find you here." Said a familiar voice.  
  
Lily smiled instead of cringing like she usually did. "Severus." She said turning around. "Hi."  
  
He sat down beside her. "Hi. So what are you reading?"  
  
"Oh just a book I got of a shelf. Something about turning men into pigs." She said jokingly.  
  
"Is that a warning?" he asked humorously.  
  
"Maybe." Lily taunted and both began to laugh. Laughing came so easily when she was with him and Lily was beginning to think that Snape would make a very good friend. Besides what she needed the most these days was laughter.  
  
"So um-are you free tomorrow?" he asked.  
  
"Why?" asked Lily automatically. She didn't want to break Snapes heart. He'd had a crush on her for quiet awhile now.  
  
"I was wondering if we could I dunno do something. Like go on a picnic." He had turned extremely red and Lily knew he'd worked up a lot of courage to ask her this. It seemed strange though. She'd barely talked to him but he was always sending love letters and what not to her. 'I geuss people are really different from what you think they are on paper.' Lily thought to herself.  
  
"Oh boy." Lily muttered and took a deep breath. She took both of snapes hands in hers. "Severus listen. You're a nice guy. A REALLY nice guy but-I know-you see-the thing is-" she took another deep breath. "It's common knowledge that you fancy me." She said turning red. "But I don't fancy you." She winced as his face fell. "but I'd love to be friends with you. I just can't think of you as a-a-lover. I'm sorry." She apologized. "I want us to be friends. Good friends. I love the way you make me laugh and-heaven knows I need laughter after what I've gone through." She added under her breath.  
  
"I-I understand." Said Snape covering up his hurt quickly. "would you go out with me tomorrow as friends on a nice little picnic?"  
  
"Of course." Said Lily. "I just wanted to clear everything up."  
  
Snape smiled at her and then furrowed his eyebrows. "As your first duty of being my friend I want to know what's been bothering you."  
  
"How'd you-" Lily started but Snape put a hand up to silence her.  
  
"Friends know these things." He said smiling at her and Lily started laughing again.  
  
"O.K." she said after calming down. "But this'll take sometime."  
  
"the nights young." He said and stood up. "Lets take a walk."  
  
Lily took his offered hand and both walked out with Snapes arm around her shoulders in a friendly way. When they reached the lake Lily began to talk.  
  
A figure from afar watched with jealousy coursing over him. James had his hands clenched into fists. "Get your hands of her slime ball." He muttered angrily.  
  
Sirius who stood behind him with his arms crossed as he leaned on the castle wall smiled to himself.  
  
"Snape you just made a wrong move." He muttered to himself. "Pity Terry will be out on a date with Andrea this coming full moon." A/N: Ummm.I don't think sorry will makeup for the delayed chapter.especially if I told you guys this has been written since I uploaded the last chapter **ducks flying tomatoes.** SORRY! I REALLY REALLY REALLY AM SORRY but I mean I have to direct a play and its really getting irritating. We were supposed to show the play to the principal 2day and half the pple forgot their lines. My main actor instead of asking the girl to dance with him accidentally said "Will you marry me?" and a fast dance was on and the background dancers were dancing the waltz. Horror of horrors.dancing the waltz to nellys song #1.**shudders** NOT a pretty sight. And then when one actor asked their mother actor to let them go to the dance party the mother actor forgot her lines and said No sorry he only invited me. UGH! Firsterated...REALLY frusterated. Tell me how you guys liked this chapter.I don think it was that gud.written in a real hurry. Oh I got an A on my computer typing test tho. I typed 872 words in 3 minutes with no mistakes! YAY for me! Lolz. Remember to review pplz! I really appreciate them! 


	10. Chapter 10:Circle of friends

Lily, Andrea, Cassidy and Natalie sat on the Hogwarts grounds early in the morning. Breakfast was just beginning and dew drops covered the grass turning to ice from the cold. The four drew their cloaks around themselves tighter. All four had oatmeal bars in their hands and were eating happily. Natalie threw her oatmeal bar wrapper to the side and then a thought dawned on her.  
  
"Lily." Said Natalie suddenly.  
  
"Hmm?" asked Lily basking in the 'cold' sun light.  
  
"Don't the prefects have to open the ball with a dance?"  
  
Lilys eyes opened abruptly. "Wh-what?" she asked and then she remembered. She exclaimed miserably. "How could I forget?! I'm so stupid!"  
  
"And rehearsals start in a month." Added Natalie.  
  
"Rehearsals for what?" Lily demanded. "none of us are that inexperienced in dancing.  
  
"Basically so the Great Hall won't be punctuated with our voices saying 'Ow that was my foot you stepped on.'" Said Natalie.  
  
"Why is God trying to torture me?" Lily asked looking up at the sky. "I'm trying to move on. I truly am. Ask anyone and they'll confirm it but how can I when the person I'm trying to forget about is getting shoved up my arse?"  
  
"Language Lily." Cassidy reprimanded.  
  
Lily looked at her sulkily before putting her head in Andreas lap.  
  
"I could um-um- talk to James for you." Said Cassidy. "Bring him to his senses and all that."  
  
"No." said Lily suddenly. "If James is going to be a chuffing arse let him. I want him to realize his mistakes by himself. He's not a chi-" Lily stopped short as she looked across the lake. Sitting up she squinted and stared. She saw James and Patricia sitting there kissing.  
  
A block of ice built up in her stomach and tears formed in her eyes. Jeremy was-how could her Jeremy do THAT?  
  
"He's not a what Lily?" prodded Natalie. Cassidy and Andrea followed Lilys gaze as did Natalie.  
  
"Cassidy." Said Andrea.  
  
"What?" asked Cassidy.  
  
"Hold me back before I go and kill the moron." Said Andrea standing up. Cassidy didn't take long in following Andreas orders. She held Andrea back as she tried to go kill James with her bare hands. Natalie hugged Lily who began to cry.  
  
"I don't know why it hurts me so much." She sobbed. "It shouldn't but it does. I can't see him with someone else. I feel like dieing."  
  
"That's how love is." Whispered Natalie and patted Lilys back. Andrea was letting out a string of colorful words as Cassidy tried to hold her back and calm her down at the same time.  
  
"Lets go." Said Cassidy softly to Andrea. "Lets take her up to our dorm."  
  
Andrea paid no heed to Cassidy.  
  
"For her sake." Cassidy whispered. Andrea stopped struggling abruptly and turned towards a sobbing Lily.  
  
"Why does it hurt so much?" asked Lily blowing her nose.  
  
Andrea gave her a sympathetic look and sat down beside her. "It just does Lily. It just does. I felt the same way after Sirius and me." she trailed of.  
  
"Does the hurt wear off?" asked Lily innocently.  
  
Andrea sighed. "No. It takes time. A lot of time. It still hurts me just like it's hurting you right now."  
  
Lily drew in a shaky breath. "Can-can we go in now?"  
  
"Sure." Said Andrea. Lily got up and linked arms with Andrea.  
  
Natalie let out a small sigh. Cassidy looked up at her. "What's wrong?"  
  
"Nothing." Natalie lied.  
  
"Come on you can tell us." Said Cassidy.  
  
"My friends." Natalie admitted. "The ones in my year. The friends that are my closest-ONE of my closest-" she corrected herself. "in the school. They- they're accusing me of ignoring them."  
  
"But you're not ignoring them." Objected Cassidy. "It's just that this whole Lily James business has all of us a bit.preoccupied. Plus you're a prefect and most of the dance workload is on you because this is the seventh years last year and the professors don't want them to work to hard. The head boy and girl have enough to worry about as it is and they deserve a small break. Plus this is the sixth years first dance so no one wants THEM working to hard on it. Naturally the fifth year prefects are going to be shoved towards all the work for the dance."  
  
"I know that, even my friends know that but they just can't understand or else they're just looking for an excuse to fight with me." Said Natalie.  
  
"I never liked them anyway." Said Cassidy and got a warning a glare from Natalie. "well I always thought they were a bit.stuck up. No one likes them. They think they're so popular but they're not."  
  
"Listen Cass I don't care what everyone thinks about them. They are my friends." Said Natalie. "We've just come across a little misunderstanding."  
  
"What about those other girls in your year? Jeffery Myers is one of the cutest fifth years and he's always with them. I hear he fancies you." Said Cassidy playfully.  
  
Natalie turned red and muttered a "Shut up." To Cassidy.  
  
"but it's true!" said Cassidy. "I see the way he looks at you when you're both doing your prefect duties. I must admit if I didn't have Remus I'd be all over him."  
  
"You know I'm not interested in guys though." Said Natalie but Cassidy saw she was pleased that Jeffery Myers liked her. Natalie thought he was sweet- along with the rest of Hogwarts.  
  
"There's a first time for everything." Said Cassidy smiling at her. "Come on how about some hot coco? And I bet Lily really needs some cheering up." She caste a glowering look towards James and Patricia before retreating towards the castle with Natalie.  
  
* * *  
  
Kayla smiled sweetly at Sirius.  
  
"How are you hun?" she asked leaning on him.  
  
Sirius sighed and turned towards her. "Fine I guess. Why?"  
  
"Oh I heard you came back really tired yesterday night. And you woke up pretty early this morning."  
  
"Yes I just had some...'issues' to clear out in my head. I've learned that walking as well as quidditch really helps do that."  
  
"So you're fine now?" asked Kayla.  
  
"Yea. I'm doing alright now." Said Sirius giving her a wavering smile.  
  
"Oh I heard that Andrea said 'the words' to Terry. Isn't that sweet?"  
  
Sirius looked at the ground. "Um.yea it's cool." He mumbled.  
  
Kayla stared at Sirius. "Siri what's wrong? You're acting so.." She searched for a word. ".different." She ended.  
  
"No I'm fine really I am." He said staring at Kayla. Out of the corner of his eyes he spotted Andrea walk in with Lily beside her. Behind them were Cassidy and Natalie. All four girls had hot coco and were sipping it cheerfully. Terry at that moment got up and walked to Andrea. He kissed her on the cheek in greeting. Andrea smiled and offered him a sip of her hot coco which Terry accepted.  
  
Sirius felt hot anger build up inside of him. He stared at Kayla who was still looking at Sirius worriedly. He brought her into his arms and kissed her. "Enough talking." He said grinning.  
  
Kayla seemed to squirm uncomfortably in his arms and Sirius confused let go of her.  
  
"But we never talk." She said. "it's always when do we snog? Or my room or yours. We never-just sit and talk."  
  
Sirius stared at her surprised. "I mean we love each other right?" asked Kayla.  
  
"Uh-yea we do." Said Sirius uncertainly. 'I think I said I love you to the wrong type of girl.' He thought to himself.  
  
"Well we should have more to our relationship than physical-er-stuff. I mean look at Cassidy and Remus."  
  
Sirius chanced a look at his baby sister and Remus. Natalie, Andrea and Lily were standing on the steps waiting for Cassidy. She stood in front of Remus not even holding his hand and both were talking. 'Rather seriously' Sirius though to himself. 'Wonder what's up.' Lily beckoned Cassidy to come join them so with a quick kiss on the cheek delivered by Remus and an I love you from Cassidy she disappeared up the steps. Sirius still couldn't believe that THAT was his sister. 'It's amazing how she's grown up.' He thought to himself. He couldn't believe that the tomboy usually covered in mud and dirt from playing quidditch all day long and beating the boys up would bloom and become a gentle, kind, caring girl who was now Remuses girl friend.  
  
She still could probably whip their hides at quidditch Sirius thought with a smile but she concentrated more now on girl things. And no one could ever convince her to join the Quidditch team.  
  
James had tried tons of times but had gotten a soft quiet no. The 8 year old Cassidy would've punched him in the eye. By the time she'd turned ten she'd started growing out of her tomboy faze but how Hogwarts had polished her into such a girl that Remus would like was beyond Sirius.  
  
Kayla suddenly jolted him from his thoughts. "Look I mean they're the perfect couple. Why can't we be like that?"  
  
"Uh O.K. so what do you want to talk about?" asked Sirius blinking a few times.  
  
"UM-I dunno." Said Kayla. "What's your favorite food?"  
  
"All food." Said Sirius automatically.  
  
Kayla giggled. "See aren't we off to a good start?"  
  
Sirius sighed. 'Yea' he thought. 'A good start on the train of boredom.' He settled back into a couch and prepared himself for a long boring afternoon.  
  
* * *  
  
Lily had by now calmed down and was sitting on the edge of her bed. The four had gone to the kitchens and gotten hot coco and then come to their dorms. By the time they were sipping coco Lily felt much better. She explained to herself that the feelings she was feeling were normal. They were just the after effects of the love she had for Jeremy that was wearing off.  
  
She grabbed a bag of droobles best blowing gum and took one out. Natalie who was sitting on the floor looked up at Lily.  
  
"Feeling better?" she asked.  
  
"Yea." Said Lily grinning,. "I had fun today. It's been awhile since we've been able to get together and just sit."  
  
"Oh I have an idea!" squealed Andrea. "Why don't we invite the whole sixth year class girls to go to have a girls day out this Hogsmeade week?"  
  
"Yea." Said Cassidy. "We'll have so much fun. Just all of us girls."  
  
Natalie smiled. "I hope you guys have fun."  
  
Andrea gave her an odd look. "Why aren't you planning on coming?"  
  
Natalie replied. "But I'm a fifth year. You guys possibly couldn't have meant me."  
  
Cassidy gave a fond smile towards Natalie like an older sister would. "Of course you silly. We don't even need to take your name for such trifle things. You should know automatically that you're invited. If you want you can er..call one of your friends or something."  
  
Natalie shook her head. "Nah. They'd refuse. I'll come with you guys. Besides they don't even know half the sixth year girls."  
  
Andrea grinned. "Fine then its settled."  
  
* * *  
  
Hogsmeade trip. .  
  
Everyone came except Patricia because 'James would miss her too much'. So it was Kayla, Andrea, Natalie, Lily, Cassidy and the girls in the second sixth year dorm. Sonia Patil, Carey Appleburg, Sandy Lavender, and Shania Cray. All four were jolly, happy go lucky fun girls to hangout with. Sonia had light brown silky, wavy hair and light brown eyes. She was kind and sweet and her words were always soft and melodious. Carey on the other hand Sonias best friend talked enough for the both of them. She was witty and clever and shot back witty replies to any awkward questions or comebacks. She had black hair and dark blue eyes. Sandy was the hyper one. She was always hyped up and one would think she ate two galleons of sugar every morning what with her bouncing around like Tigger. She had blonde hair and green eyes. Shania was Sandys best friend. The two were extremely loyal to each other and barely ever fought. If they disagreed on something they would respect the others descision. Fighting wasn't part of their vocabulary.  
  
The only sixth year other than Patricia who had not come was Mary Lodge. She was a shy girl and Natalie had tried to get her to come but she wouldn't come. Oddly enough Lily had been the only one who had asked her. Even she HAD to admit that they all were a LITTLE stuck up. Lily had been partly glad that Mary had said no. She was boring but it would've been rude to not ask her. (A/N: Come on guys you know this thing is something common in EVERYONE.no matter how nice u r there is always a little stuck up side in you and you know it :P. If there wasn't one then you wouldn't be human.)  
  
"So where to?" asked Carey jumping up and down.  
  
"Erm..shopping for dress robes." Said Sandy excitedly. All of them walked towards the shop and entered it hearing a little ring as they did.  
  
"Oh wow." Natalie breathed and picked up black globe earrings. She held them upto the light and looked at them closely before putting them back.  
  
"These would really suit you." Said Sonia taking out icy blue hoop earrings. Out of them all she was the expert on this type of stuff. Everyone always said she should open a beauty parlor. The earrings were oval shaped. Natalie looked at them and held them up to her ears.  
  
"You're right." Said Natalie. Cassidy suddenly came and dragged Sonia away asking which dress robe would suit her.  
  
"Look cute guy!" exclaimed Carey. A young man in his late teens walked into the store. Carey at once pulled her hair out of its ponytail and began flirtatiously walking around looking at dress robes.  
  
"How slutty can you get?" whispered Lily to Andrea who in return giggled at Lilys remark.  
  
"Terry hates her." Said Andrea. "She practically ran after him for a month before finding some other guy."  
  
Shania from behind nodded in agreement while checking the price tag of a maroon dress robe. "Yea, I agree. But hey she's sweet. I mean once I lost five galleons and she offered to go outside and look for them with me. It was dark and we spent hours looking around on the quidditch pitch."  
  
"Ouch Shania!" Sandy exclaimed as Shania stepped on her foot.  
  
"Sorry." Said Shania sheepishly. "Come to think of it Carey is the exact opposite of Sonia. I mean Sonias so-shy and quiet. She can't stand being the center of attention whereas Carey-" Shania stopped short and looked towards the crazy girl who was right now in the middle of bumping into the young man. She had 'conveniently' unbuttoned the top button of her robe.  
  
Natalie walked over with her newly bought earrings. She was in the process of putting them on. When they were securely in place she looked in her hand mirror. "Not bad." Said Natalie. "They look pretty good."  
  
"Save them for the ball." Said Sandy taking out an icy blue dress robe. She put it up against Natalie. "This would go great with your earrings."  
  
Natalie shrugged. "I'll try it-"  
  
"Hey how do I look?" came a voice from every ones left side. They looked up and towards Cassidy. She was wearing a golden brown velvety robe that swept the floor. The sleeves draped downwards and the neckline was square going well with her black hair and twinkling eyes.  
  
"Wow Remus is going to flip when he sees you." Breathed Lily. "You look great Cass."  
  
Cassidy looked down at herself modestly. "Sonia helped me pick it out." She smiled. "I best go change now."  
  
Sonia handed Cassidy the hanger for her dress robe. Sonia no matter how modest she dressed always looked spectacular. She never meant to get the attention of people-especially guys- but there was just something about her. Maybe it was her modesty or shyness. Or maybe the fact that she was so innocent but she always managed to catch a guys interest. If Carey made a spectacle of herself and a guy would turn to see what was going on his eyes would immediately be attracted to Sonia. Of course she herself would turn away showing lack of interest in the guy so he would turn to Carey responding to her flirt techniques.  
  
There had been only one guy who'd ever went after Sonia after she'd showed her resistance and that was Timothy McCoy. Which was why he and Sonia had been going steady since fourth year. Both were deeply in love with each other. He himself was a seventh year though so many people doubted their relationship would work after Hogwarts. Lily however had faith in it. If she could carry on a relationship with someone without even seeing them then those two could surely carry on a relationship despite the age difference.  
  
"Sonia now you're going to help me." Said Lily excitedly. And so a good part of the day passed on while shopping for robes and accessories. When the girls emerged from the robe shop they were laden with three or four bags and in Careys case a guys floo address. All of them walked out talking and laughing but Kayla lagged behind them. She took a deep breath and called out:  
  
"Hey Andrea um-can I talk to you for a minute?" she asked nervously and bit her lip.  
  
Andrea turned around to stare at Kayla for a minute. Lily stared between the two as the whole group wondered what was up. Andrea rested her sunglasses atop her head and a heavy silence endued.  
  
"Sure." Said Andrea after a prolonged silence that had become almost unbearable for Kayla. She walked over to Kayla and signaled for the others to go on ahead.  
  
"So what's up?" asked Andrea turning to Kayla with concern. The two walked at a safe distance behind the girls. Andrea felt a pang of envy as the group ahead of them exploded with laughter. She wanted to be there right now.  
  
"Um well I know you and Sirius sort of went out last year-" she began nervously. Andrea took a sharp intake of breathe. "And well I mean you love Terry now so I doubt you'd mind me asking this but-well I'm asking you this because you were the only one that had a talking relationship with Sirius Black."  
  
Andrea stared at her for a minute. "What do you mean? What are you asking?"  
  
"Well-It's like this. I see Cassidy and Remus. I see You and Terry and I see Sonia and Timothy. All of you are happy couples who are in love. Sirius has told me many times that he loves me-"  
  
Andrea stared at the ground. So Kayla was another one of his victims. Andrea knew Sirius Black inside out and those three words meant trouble for any girl. Well any girl but Andrea. But the girls he flirted with-he always said I love you to them. Most of them never took it seriously. They were flirts exactly like Sirius so it was cool between them but occasionally one girl would take it seriously. Like Kayla had. Andrea felt nothing but pity for Kayla who had fallen so innocently into his trap.  
  
"and we don't have a relationship like you guys. It's always your room or mine? Or do we snog now or later? Get what I mean? And I tried talking to Sirius but he just got bored."  
  
Andrea had to suppress a laugh. Sirius Black talking instead of snogging. This was priceless. Andrea would've paid a million galleons to see that. The only reason Andrea didn't laugh was because Kayla was dead serious. She loved Sirius just like Cassidy loved Remus. Or supposedly loved Sirius that is.  
  
"Anyway what I'm asking you is what does Sirius like to talk about? You're his friend and previous girl friend. You must have first hand experience on what Sirius likes to talk about." Kayla finished of.  
  
Andrea stopped in front of Florean fortescues ice cream shop. She finally released her laughter.  
  
"What?" asked Kayla.  
  
Andrea fell back onto a chair, dropping her bags. "Oh let me get this straight?" she asked calming down. "You're asking ME on what Sirius Black likes to talk about." Kayla nodded and Andrea went into a fit of laughter. She could just imagine the look on his face when Kayla would say lets talk. "Oh God Kayla how much do I have to pay to see the show? Sirius Black and talking instead of snogging just do not mix." She said breathlessly.  
  
"Why?" asked Kayla in a hurt voice.  
  
Andrea looked at Kayla and stopped laughing. She could tell that she had hurt Kaylas feelings. "You really like him don't you?" asked Andrea seriously.  
  
Kayla nodded. "I want to make our relationship work."  
  
Andrea looked at her for a minute. "Alright." She said finally. "You're going out of your way to make this work so I might as well help you. Sirius likes quidditch. You have a brain get him started on that subject."  
  
"O.K. what else?" asked Kayla.  
  
Andrea shrugged. "I dunno seriously. We'd just talk about different things. We'd talk about things from our families to McGonagolls big butt."  
  
Despite herself Kayla laughed. She then became serious. "But how come he doesn't talk about such stuff with me?"  
  
Andrea shrugged. "Give him time." Was all she could say. She couldn't exactly go telling Kayla that Sirius wasn't in love with her. She had no business in their personal affairs and it was sort of an unsaid rule between the friends. The girls would never tell the other girls if they were being used or not. Andrea thought it was a stupid rule but she was a loyal friend and ex-girlfriend.  
  
"Thanks Andy." Said Kayla.  
  
Andrea stood up. "No problem. Now lets get going. I bet the girls are already at the three broomsticks."  
  
Kayla smiled. The two quickened their pace and caught up with the girls as they entered the three broomsticks. Warm arms suddenly came around Andrea.  
  
"Hey Terry." She said weakly. "Mind helping me with some of these bags?" she asked and looked up at him.  
  
"Oh sure." Said Terry suddenly noticing the bags Andrea was holding. He took them from her. As one the girls walked over to a table and flung their shopping on the seats. A chuckle escaped from Lilys mouth.  
  
"Where are we going to sit now?" she asked. Their shopping had take up one whole table.  
  
"What'd you girls do? Buy the whole shop?" asked Terry getting a playful slap on the arm from Andrea.  
  
"Most of this stuff is Andreas." Said Natalie.  
  
"I wouldn't talk Ms. Five bags of shopping." Andrea retorted.  
  
"Atleast I didn't have so many bags that I had to have Lily and Cassidy hold some for me." Natalie shot back. Everyone began to laugh.  
  
"Hey Cassidy, Lily, Natalie!" came a voice. The three looked up to see Sirius, James, Remus and Peter sitting at a table with four extra seats. It had been Sirius who'd called out for them. He motioned to the empty seats showing that they'd been saved for them. "Where's Andy?" he asked from across the room.  
  
"Right here!" called Andrea from the safety of Terrys arms. She untangled herself from him. "I'm coming!" she called to Sirius. She turned to Terry. "bye love." She said and kissed him quickly before going to join the other girls.  
  
"Well I had a fun time today." Said Lily brightly to the other girls. "We should do this some other time."  
  
"Yea." Agreed Sandy.  
  
"Yo girls we're dying here!" called Sirius jokingly. "Remus here wouldn't let us order until you guys came. Come on I'm hungry!"  
  
"O.K. we're coming!" called Lily laughing. Natalie, Lily, Andrea and Cassidy all walked over with Kayla behind them awkwardly.  
  
"Hey Sirius." She cooed and made a move to sit in the seat beside him. Sirius smartly put an arm over the seat stopping her from sitting down. "This seats taken." He said.  
  
"By who?" asked Kayla confusedly.  
  
Sirius reached out a hand behind him and pulled Natalie towards the chair. Natalie sat down thankful that she was considered such a close member of the group.  
  
"Oh." Said Kayla quietly. She made a move to sit down in his lap but Sirius looked at her and she stopped awkwardly.  
  
"Kayla please leave." Said James quietly.  
  
Kayla stared at James. "Why?" she demanded. "Who're you to tell me what to do?" she looked at Sirius for support but Sirius just stared at her for a moment before speaking.  
  
"Kayla leave." He said adamantly. The four girls were confused but didn't say a word. Kayla looked at the four expecting support from them. All four though were thinking that there must be a good reason they're doing this otherwise they wouldn't tell Kayla to leave. The four were presently worried if everything was alright.  
  
Kayla stared at them for a minute before turning and leaving. Sirius rolled his eyes and put an arm around Natalies shoulders in a brotherly manner.  
  
"Stupid ditz." He muttered.  
  
"O.K. what's up?" asked Lily.  
  
"How'd you know something was up?" asked Remus surprised.  
  
"Well I knew there was a good reason for treating Kayla like that." Said Lily.  
  
"O.K. well I have such a good idea for a prank." Said Sirius gleefully. "The thing is James here says we should vote because it's dangerous."  
  
Andrea bit her lip. "James is most probably right." Said Andrea.  
  
"Be quiet and listen you James supporter.." Said Sirius. "We could tell Snape how to get into the whomping willow passage on a full moon night."  
  
"WHAT?!" everyone exploded.  
  
"Quiet!" Sirius whispered fiercely. The whole pub was staring at them.  
  
"Sirius are you out of your pea brained mind?" Lily whispered fiercely. "Snape could die!"  
  
"Or worse Remus could bite him in his ware wolf state." Said James. "Do you want Remus living with that? That he killed someone?"  
  
Sirius waved these comments off. "He won't get in though. I mean come on the most that'll happen is that the whomping willow'll beat him up a bit."  
  
"Sirius unlike you we haven't completely lost our minds!" Andrea hissed. "Use that thing up there between your ears."  
  
"I think we should vote." Said Sirius stoutly.  
  
"Fine." Said Natalie. "Who votes that we should NOT play the prank?"  
  
everyone raised their hands except for Sirius.  
  
"It's unanimous." Said Cassidy. "Now lets bury this topic."  
  
"Fine." Said Sirius disgruntled. He sat back in his chair with his arms crossed.  
  
"Um-why don't you call Kayla back?" asked Natalie uneasily. "I felt weird just shoving her away like that."  
  
Sirius rolled his eyes at Natalie and called Kayla over. She looked at Sirius and cat walked over.  
  
"I forgive you baby!" she exclaimed and flung her arms around him.  
  
"O.K can you please let go of me now?" asked Sirius letting her presume that he had wanted to apologize. She was cutting of his air supply.  
  
"Oh sorry but I have to go now." Said Kayla pulling back. "Sandy wanted to discuss lipstick colors with me. Which reminds me James did you leave Patricia in that store for mens clothing?"  
  
James snorted into his butterbeer.  
  
"She's been waiting there for hours saying that James is in the changing room trying on his robes." Said Kayla. "Jane McCarthy saw her there about 20 minutes ago."  
  
Everyone burst out laughing. "She wasn't leaving me alone." Said James defiantly. "I had to tell her that and sneak out while she was looking at matching socks for us." He shuddered.  
  
"James!" came a voice as Kayla walked away. James cringed and put on a fake smile as Patricia sat herself down on his lap. "Honey you should've told me you were coming here. Why'd you leave me in the shop? I can't read your mind and know where you're going."  
  
"Thank God for that." James muttered. "Listen Pat honey can you get off my lap?"  
  
Patricia got off and looked at Lily who was sitting in a chair across from James. She was examining her bracelet interestedly. James eyes fell on Lily and his eyes softened. The bracelet was the only hope he had going that maybe she still loved him.  
  
"Where do I sit?" she whined. Patricia looked around at the seats.  
  
Patricia now wasn't that stupid. She wouldn't dare to push anyone off the inseparable eight up from their chairs otherwise James would have her head. But Lily was another story. James hated her. Patricia walked over and hauled Lily to her feet.  
  
Lily stared at her bewildered.  
  
"Excuse me but I think I have a right to sit with my boyfriend." Said Patricia.  
  
Lily stared at her before the seven stood up and offered their seats to her. Except James only stood up. He strode over to Patricia who was trying not to let them know that she felt hurt. They hadn't offered her a seat but all of them stood up for Lily..she suddenly felt herself being hauled up by James.  
  
"Patricia this isn't your seat." He said in a steely voice.  
  
"Then where do I sit?" she asked him.  
  
"There." Said James and pointed to the table where the other girls were sitting. Kayla was sitting with Sandy at a table with on vacant seat. Carey and Sonia sat at another table with Sonias boyfriend. Shania was at another table conversing with a boy in fifth year who looked oddly like...Natalie let out a small gasp.  
  
Shania was shamelessly flirting with Jeff Myers.-who was flirting back.  
  
Cassidy looked at Natalie who suddenly had to sit down.  
  
"What's wrong wit her?" asked Patricia looking at Natalie who felt tears trickling down her cheek.  
  
Natalie swallowed and looked like a lost girl who had no idea what was going on. 'He's not sweet.' Natalie thought to herself. 'How could I have been so wrong?'  
  
James distressed at seeing one of his friends in this state became annoyed. "Pat listen just go."  
  
Not wanting to make the same mistake as Sirius he turned and kissed Patricia quickly. Lily felt a pang in her heart and tears in her eyes. She wiped them away quickly and turned to Natalie.  
  
James turned his back on Patricia and the seven gathered around Natalie.  
  
Patricia walked over to Kayla and Sandy.  
  
"I am so damn jealous of them." Sighed Sandy staring at the eight of them. "And Natalie's a fifth year. They place HER above us."  
  
Kayla nodded. "I know. And I'm Siriuses girlfriend. I love the bond those eight share. And I want to be part of it."  
  
"Why is my Jamsie poo worried about Natalie when his soulmate is sitting right here?" asked Patricia stupidly.  
  
Kayla stared at her. "Patricia."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Shut-up."  
  
A/N: Someone said they wanted a huge chapter.well HERE it is. A HUGE chapter. 16 pages. So be happy. This chapter was a bit boring I know. Basically I wanted to show the friendship these guys have. Show how deep it really goes...so did it work?! Or do they still seem..unfriendly and lost in their own lives? Ok now the whole group dismissing Kayla and Patricia I know that it's rude to do that and stuff but everyone does this. You pple have to admit that it's something common among EVERYONE. Popular or NOT. Hell even I do that no matter how rude it is but there are certain time when you just want to be able to talk to your friends-your inner circle of friends if you know what I mean. And you don't want anyone to intrude during that time. Get it? Once again im NOT trying to turn this into some cliché type story. Lolz I like those stories and all but sometimes everyone needs a break from them. I didn't make them TOO stuck up tho did i? I mean its natural everyone is like that. Plus im really sorry I couldn't update sooner..life caughtup with me and I hasto study and...stuff. lolz. Cant promise u guys that the next chapwill be out soon cuz I always miss my deadlines..sorry. 


	11. Chapter11: The whomping Willow incident

"Poor thing." Said Andrea looking towards Natalie.   
  
Andrea sat with Terry in the common room. Everyone was busy with their own problems. Natalie sat charming mistletoe with Jeff who wasn't looking her in the eye. He'd stare at her through intervals but would quickly look away before she caught him. Natalie was acting as if nothing had happened. She'd smiled pleasantly and had pretended to not be effected by what she had seen the other day.   
  
Terry played with Andreas left hand fingers and grinned at her. "I'm not supposed to tell anyone this but-" he stopped abruptly.   
  
"But-" Andrea prompted.   
  
"Gregory likes Natalie." He finished of.   
  
Andreas eyes widened. "Greg? Your friend Greg?"  
  
Terry nodded. "Why else was he so eager to get to know Lily? She's Natalies friend. She might throw in a few good words for him like 'Nats' Greg saved my life' or 'Nats Gregs so sweet.'" Said Terry in a perky girl voice.   
  
"I thought he liked Lily." Said Andrea matter of factly as she shifted in the chair they were sharing.   
  
Terry chuckled. "Lilys pretty and all but not every guy she meets is going to fall in love with her." He said. "No offence to her." He added quickly.   
  
Andrea smiled amusedly. "So Gregory and Natalie eh?" asked Andrea looking over towards Natalie. Her blonde hair was pulled back in a curly ponytail as she counted the mistletoe.   
  
"Well I do owe her for getting me set with you." Said Andrea.   
  
"I owe her my life." Said Terry staring down at Andrea fondly. "If it wasn't for her I would've never known you." He kissed the top of Andreas head.   
  
***  
  
Lily walked feverishly down the halls trying to get to the dungeons. A supply of Newt eyes was coming in and she had to supervise the process. She ruffled through her papers and bumped into someone. Looking up Lily saw Bryan Clearwater dazedly sitting on his bottom. He regained his senses and stared up at Lily.   
  
"Sorry." Said Lily and offered him a hand. "I'm sorry I knocked you over. I was looking over my papers and-" she gave him a helpless sigh. Bryan took her hand and stood up.   
  
(a/n: I just wanna take this moment to say that bryan Clearwater is Penelope clearwaters UNCLE. His brother had Penelope Clearwater and the whole family is full of muggles other than Penelope and Bryan.)   
  
"It's O.K." he said. "Where were you of to in such a hurry?"  
  
"Oh I was going to the dungeons. You know how the Professors think house elves aren't smart and lets face it they aren't- so they want me to supervise them while they bring in Newt eyes. Last time they somehow lost a barrel of polyjuice potion and no one wants to take that risk again." Said Lily.  
  
Bryan chuckled. "So are we on for the dance this Christmas?" he asked teasingly.   
  
Lily flushed as she thought about what had happened with James and her. What should she say? She didn't even feel like going to the dance now. Lily shook her head.   
  
"I feel like going solo this time." She said. Bryan smiled. He knew about Jeremy.   
  
"Oh really?" he asked with a raised eyebrow. Lily suddenly realized how long it had been since she'd talked with Bryan.   
  
"We-we didn't work out." Lily explained.   
  
Bryans eyebrows furrowed together. "What do you mean? You two were perfect for each other."  
  
Lily sighed. A strand of red hair came across her face and she blew it out of her way. "I found out who he was."  
  
"And that's bad?" asked Bryan with a raised eyebrow.   
  
"He was James." Said Lily bitterly.   
  
"Oh-ooooooooohhhhhhhhh." Said Bryan in realization. Lily shut her eyes to hold back the tears. Bryan awkwardly hugged her trying to comfort her.   
  
"I'm O.K." said Lily pulling away after a minute. She sniffled and wiped her eyes quickly. She gave a wavering smile. "I have to go. I don't want the house elves losing a box of Newt eyes now do I?"  
  
Bryan smiled at her. "Do find some free time in your schedule. It's been ages since we've had a nice chat."  
  
Lily nodded and walked down the hall.   
  
***  
  
Kayla giggled as Sirius threw a peanut up in the air and caught it with his mouth.   
  
He stared at her before enclosing in on her and trying to kiss her. Kayla kissed back but stopped him before things got out of hand.   
  
"So what'd you do yesterday?" asked Kayla.   
  
Sirius got a bored look on his face and his eyes showed irritation. Andrea had told him about the chat she'd had with Kayla.   
  
"I didn't do much." Said Sirius shrugging. "Just went out with James, Remus and Peter to the leaky cauldron."  
  
"Remus took Cassidy?" asked Kayla. Sirius nodded.   
  
"James took Patricia?" Sirius nodded again.   
  
"Why didn't you take me?"   
  
Sirius looked at her for a minute. "Well-I knew you wouldn't like the type of crowd there-" he began.   
  
"And Cassidy would?" asked Kayla with a raised eyebrow.   
  
Sirius searched for a way out. "I didn't want to get you in trouble." He ended bluntly.   
  
Kayla stared at him angrily. "Sirius Black I demand to know why you did not take me. Did you take someone else? Or were you planning on acting like a single guy for the night?"   
  
Sirius stood up angrily. "What's it to you? It's my life. If I want to go alone I will. If I want to go out with another girl I will. Hell if I want to go skinny dipping with the giant squid I will. Who are you to stop me?!" he yelled.   
  
Kayla stared at him and tears began to drip down her eyes. "you've changed." She whispered. "You used to be so caring-"  
  
"No Kayla you've changed." Said Sirius huffily. "You're the one coming up with all this talking mumbo jumbo. Well guess what I don't want to talk. I don't like talking."  
  
"You used to talk to Andrea all the time." Said Kayla in a hurt voice.   
  
"Don't ever think you can be an Andrea to me. Andrea was a one of a kind girl. You can never be like her so stop trying." He said angrily. "She was my first and only love."  
  
Those words hit Kayla like a sledgehammer. Her ears were filled with a roaring sound as his words repeated themselves in her mind. 'First and only love' Kayla thought. "But you said you loved me." Said Kayla beginning to cry. Sirius stared at her for a minute.   
  
He then hugged her. "I'm sorry." He said quietly.   
  
Kayla hugged him back. "It's O.K." she said and thought he hadn't meant what he'd said.   
  
The truth was he wasn't sorry for lying. He was sorry for telling her the truth.   
  
***  
  
"-so I said well you don't know two cents about me so who are you to judge me." Said Lily taking a bite of her chicken.  
  
Bryan laughed jovially and took a swig of his pumpkin juice. Then said: "He deserved it the prat."  
  
  
  
Sirius stared witheringly at Kayla who was talking about a robe she'd bought. Andrea couldn't help but laugh at the look on Sirius' face.   
  
"Severus!" Lily called and beckoned him over as he walked past their table. He turned and stared at Lily for a minute before deciding to finally walk over.   
  
"Why'd you call him?" Sirius hissed.   
  
"Because I wanted to." Said Lily matter of factly as she flipped her hair over her shoulder. Severus was now in front of her. "I'm sort of busy tonight." Said Lily carefully. "How about tomorrow night?"   
  
Severus nodded. "O.K. Did you ask permission from Professor McGonagoll?"  
  
Lily waved her hand carelessly. "It doesn't really matter. I could always say I'm on patrol or something."  
  
Severus gave her an amused smile. "Abusing your powers now are you Lily?" he asked teasingly.   
  
Lily gave a mischievous grin. "I won't tell if you won't."   
  
Severus laughed before finally turning and going back to his table.   
  
James stared at Severus with a maniac glint in his eyes. He then turned fiercely towards Lily. "What was that about?" he asked viciously stabbing his chicken.   
  
Lily rolled her eyes and didn't reply.   
  
"Evans I'm talking to you." James ground out.   
  
"And frankly Potter I don't care." She spat back.   
  
"I do." He retorted. "What was all that about?"   
  
Lily stared at him. "I don't have to answer to you for my actions. Or is that your main objective? Who are you to ask me that question? You're not my friend or anything of the sort."  
  
"Could've fooled me." He spat. "I was something to you for two years-oh yes I forgot you were 'playing' with me."  
  
Lily glared at him. "I was not and you know it. Grow up Potter." She slammed her book shut and stood up. "I'm off to finish this book." She said to everyone and left.  
  
Sirius hit James upside the head. "Why don't you just tell her you still love her?" asked Sirius.   
  
"Because I don't." said James in an unconvincing way.   
  
Sirius stared at James and was scolded by Kayla.   
  
"Have you been listening to what I've been saying for the past fifteen minutes?"  
  
Sirius stared at her. Good God how long could she go without stopping? All she did now was talk and talk and talk.   
  
"Erm-" Sirius shifted in his chair.  
  
"Sirius remember that-that-project we have to do?" asked Andrea meaningfully. She was obviously getting him out of trouble.   
  
"Uh-yea-yea I remember." He said. "Sorry love." He said looking at Kayla. "I have to go." He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and left with Andrea.   
  
"Thanks." He said breathing out.   
  
Andrea giggled. "I rather liked watching you suffer."   
  
"Cruel you are." He said bitterly. "Couldn't you have just told her I don't like talking?"  
  
"Where's the fun in that?" Andrea shot back.   
  
Sirius didn't reply for a minute.   
  
"So tonight's the full moon?" asked Andrea staring out at the whomping willow.   
  
Sirius nodded. "I'm not sure if I feel up to it tonight." He said truthfully. "We have that big test tomorrow and I don't feel to good." He admitted truthfully.   
  
Andrea reached a hand up to check his temperature. "You don't have a fever." She pointed out. Sirius shifted his gaze towards someone behind Andrea.  
  
"Well, well." Snarled Sirius. Andrea was surprised by his sudden change of tone and looked at the person he was talking to. Snape stood in front of them leaning on the wall behind him.   
  
"Not feeling up to what Black?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.  
  
"None of your business Snape." Spat Black.   
  
"Oh but you see it is my business. Especially if it's something that will endanger the lives of us Hogwarts students. Maybe I should go tell McGonagoll." He said maliciously.   
  
"You do that and I swear I'll make sure you end up in St. Mungos." Said Sirius angrily. "Maybe then you'll get a chance to visit your father." He spat.   
  
Andrea had to gasp. That was hitting below the belt. Severus father was a psychotic child abuser. He was currently in St. Mungos but rumor had it that he'd tried to kill Severus two years back in one of his drunk rages.   
  
"Tell me does he like the food at St. Mungos?" asked Sirius. "And I bet he loves the padded walls."  
  
Snapes hands were balled up into fists. "Why don't you go to hell Black." He spat. "In the meantime I'll make sure you get sent back home. Suspension is one of those things that can help me do that." He smiled maliciously. "Unless your little girlfriend here would miss you. But someone needs to go home and take care of the baby." He turned to Andrea. "Tell me did he breakup with you a week after he laid you or right after you two did it?"  
  
Andrea shut her eyes. She'd never thought anyone would think something like that of her. She'd never-everyone knew she wouldn't. Alas the consequences of dating Sirius Black. Everyone thought you got laid whether you did or not. Andrea swallowed hard. Never though had anyone said something like this to her.   
  
A thud told her that Sirius had pushed Snape up against the wall.   
  
"Just what exactly is going on here?" came a squeaky voice. It was Professor Flitwick.   
  
Sirius let Snape go as quickly as he had gotten hold of him.   
  
"Nothing Professor." Said Sirius glaring at Snape.   
  
Flitwick looked towards Snape for an answer.  
  
Snape whispered maliciously in barely audible voice. "Just what exactly is going on tonight?"   
  
"Touch the knot on the whomping willows right side of the trunk." Sirius whispered pretending to fake reluctance. "After madam Pomfrey emerges from it." He added. Snape looked at him triumphantly before turning to the professor.   
  
"Everything's fine professor." Said Snape in a silky voice.   
  
***  
  
"-and then Snape just said that everything was fine." Said Andrea uneasily. "Something must've happened. I saw an exchange of words between them but couldn't hear what they were saying."  
  
Natalie shrugged. "Sirius was probably threatening to tell everyone that Snape was really just a cross dresser." Everyone burst out laughing but quieted down quickly.   
  
"I'm serious though." Said Andrea.   
  
Cassidy thought a moment. "I don't think it's anything to worry about-right Lily?"   
  
Lily looked up. "Huh?" she asked. Needles to say she hadn't been paying attention.   
  
Cassidy rolled her eyes. "What's the matter?" she asked. "Thinking about James?"   
  
Lily threw her a death glare. "It's not funny." She said her voice quivering.   
  
Cassidys eyes widened. "No Lily I'm sorry-I just-I didn't think you were actually thinking about James. I didn't think it was still a sensitive spot for you-" she began desperately.   
  
Lily held a hand up. "Whatever Cassidy." She then stood up. "Can you guys just leave me alone for awhile?" she then turned and went into her dorm. Laying down Lily pretended to fall asleep and so she did.   
  
Awhile later Lily woke up drowsily. Looking around she saw that no one was in her dorm. Getting up she washed her face to wake herself up and decided to go back down to the common room and find the others. 'It was a bit stupid of me.' She reasoned. 'Cassidy was only joking. I was the one being overly sensitive.'   
  
Her eyes found their way towards her window and she stared at the full moon for a minute. Then her eyes widened as she saw Madam Pomfrey enter the whomping willow with Remus-but that wasn't what surprised her. Snape was lurking in the shadows behind them. Lilys stomach did an odd flip flop. What if Snape went into the whomping willow? Something itched at the back of her mind. Something Andrea had said.   
  
'Something must've happened. I saw an exchange of words between them but couldn't hear what they were saying.'  
  
Lilys eyes widened. He hadn't-had he?   
  
Lily quickly ran down the steps in her nightgown and entered the common room. The seventh and sixth years were sitting there and a few fifth years. Lily ran upto the boys dorm and opened the door. James was the only one there. He was writing a letter to his parents Lily summed up as an owl was sitting beside him and he was writing on some parchment.   
  
" Sirius told Severus." She gasped out and doubled over from loss of breath. She heard an owl squeak angrily and out of the corner of her eye she saw parchment fall to the ground. The next thing she knew was that James ran past her nearly knocking her of her feet. She turned to stare at him and her heart skipped a beat. He was going to save Severus. Even though he hated the guys guts he was going to save him.   
  
Fear gripped Lilys heart what if James died? He couldn't handle Remus alone. Tears pricked the corners of her eyes. If anything happened to James she'd never forgive herself. Running down the steps she went to find the others.  
  
  
  
***  
  
James ran out onto the Hogwarts grounds. He saw Snape picking up a long stick.   
  
"Snape!" James yelled. "Don't do it! You don't know what you're getting yourself into."   
  
"Oh shut it Potter." Snape spat out. He touched the knot and the whomping willow stopped moving. Carefully Snape as agile as a cat slipped inside the passage.   
  
"Dammit!" James exclaimed. The whomping willow started moving again. James took the stick and followed suit. He then slipped inside the passage. Snape was a few feet in front of him. Turning around Snape sneered. "I wonder what this place is used for. Or better yet where this passage leads.   
  
"Snape come back." Said James demandingly.   
  
"I don't think I want to." He replied maliciously.   
  
James punched him. "If this is the only way to get you to come back." He said angrily. "then so be it but you are not going any further."  
  
Snape stared at him aghast-and then punched him. James clutched his nose which was now starting to bleed. Snape took the chance to turn and run.  
  
"STOP!" James yelled and ran after him. "Snape dammit you'll get yourself killed!"  
  
James reached the end of the passage to see Snape standing there with a full grown werewolf in front of him. The werewolf showed its teeth and growled at Snape. There was a hungry look in his eyes. Snape shook violently.   
  
"Remus no!" James yelled. This startled the werewolf out of his trance and he growled loudly. Staring at Snape he opened his mouth-and then James intervened by hitting the werewolf on the back with a small antique lamp. The werewolf growled and turned to face James.   
  
James had to think fast. He couldn't change into his stag form with Snape here-but if he didn't change he'd be dead meat. Luckily Snape made the descision for him and turned to run but the werewolf found out. Turning to face Snape he quickly struck a blow to Snapes head which made Snape unconscious.   
  
James changed into his stag form. The werewolf got ready to bite Snape but James in his stag form butted between the two. In a rage the werewolf struck James with his hand and tried to shove him aside. James wouldn't budge and reared his antlers at the werewolf. The werewolf retaliated by sinking his claws deep into James thick, white shiny fur.  
  
James backed away and reared its antlers. He then charged towards the werewolf and hit him full on in the stomach. James sent him reeling back against the wall. The werewolf looking down saw his chance and sunk his teeth into James back. He then picked James up and threw him across the room. James fell against the wall and felt him self start to go unconscious. He had overbled as when the werewolf and clawed him he had clawed him on his whole lrft side. His shiny whit fur was now covered with dark red blood. Limply James got up and butted the werewolf with in the stomach with all his might. The werewolf lost his breath and James bit his arm.   
  
The werewolf keeled back and fell down-not from hurt but from exhaustion. The werewolf then became unconscious. James changed back into his human form. His clothes were soaked in blood and he didn't think he could stay conscious much longer.   
  
"I'm sorry my friend." He said staring at Remus. He then pulled Snape out of the room and into the passage. It was here that he bumped into a ghost white, pale Sirius.   
  
"James." His voice cracked. "I'm sorry-I-I didn't mean for this to happen-I-please forgive me."   
  
In response James fell on him and that was when Sirius felt James wet clothes. Shining his wand light on James he saw that James was wet because he was covered in blood. Sirius quickly took hold of James and forgetting about Snape he dragged James up to the whomping willow. Laying James down on the grass he stared at everyone. They had all been in Natalie's dorm and Lily had stormed in and told them what had happened. Lily stared at James and gasped. She was crying, Andreas eyes were red and Cassidy had her face covered as she and Natalie clutched each other. Every now and then one of them sniffled.  
  
"Is-is he O.K.?" Lily squeaked.   
  
Sirius shook his head. "I don't know. I'm going back in to get Snape. Peter go call Dumbledore."   
  
Lily bent down over James and stared at him. He couldn't die-he just couldn't. She took her hand and moved the hair away from his face and that was when the moonlight glinted on the bracelet James had given her. A thought struck Lily....  
  
'It's a myth but I can try.' Said Lily as what Natalie had told her on the first day of school about the bracelet came back to her. She took one of the spheres and broke it. Holding it under James nose she watched expectantly. The mist traveled down to his wound and went over them in a light blue foggy mist. When it cleared his wounds were gone. He still had blood on him but his breathing was noticeable now.  
  
Lily breathed in a sigh of relief. Sirius put Severus onto the round and stared at James. Dumbledore and Peter also arrived at that moment. Dumbledores eyes were a stormy blue as he stared at the sight. He didn't ask questions. He conjured up two stretchers on which to lay Snape and James. Levitating the two he put them on the stretchers and levitated them towards the hospital wing.   
  
***   
  
Madam Pomfrey stared at Snape with pursed lips. James had gotten cleaned up and he was sitting with downcast eyes in a bed. Around him stood Natalie, Sirius, Peter, Cassidy, Andrea and furthest away at the foot of the bed-Lily. She wasn't Looking at James in the eye and her eyes were caste downward. Her fiery red hair fell around her as if trying to hide her face from James who had a clear view of it.   
  
"James-" Sirius began. James held up a hand.   
  
"Sirius I have nothing to say to you." James replied.   
  
"I-" Sirius tried again.   
  
"Sirius I thought you had more sense." James ground out.   
  
Sirius didn't reply. "Didn't you think what would happen to Snape if Remus did get hold of him? Didn't you even think about Remus? Who would probably kill himself if he found out that he was responsible for someones' death?!" James whispered fiercely so that madam Pomfrey wouldn't hear.   
  
"You nearly cost James his life." Added Andrea.   
  
Sirius looked at the ground.   
  
Andrea continued. "If it wasn't for Lily-" at this moment James ears perked up and he looked towards Lily who was playing with a thread on her robe cuff. "-James would've been dead."   
  
James stared at Andrea confused. "What do you mean?" he asked.   
  
"Lily used that bracelet you got her to save your life." Andrea replied.   
  
James looked at Lily and sure enough saw one large gap between two of her bracelet spheres. Lily looked up and saw him staring at her. She looked down quickly but James kept his gaze fixed on her.   
  
Dumbledore then entered the room his eyes were stormy as he asked-"What happened?"  
  
And so Lily launched into her story from when she woke up to when she told James and then went to Natalies dorm and then to how she saw Sirius drag James out and then how she used the bracelet. James then told his side of the story and minused the part out where he transformed. He also cut out the part where Remus bit him. He had been bitten in stag form so the bite hadn't been harmful."-and then I bumped into Sirius and became unconscious." James ended.   
  
"What I want to know-" Dumbledore stated clearly in a voice void of anger which made him seem all the more formidable "-is how Mr. Snape found out how to get into the whomping willow-or better yet why he was out at such an hour."  
  
All eyes turned to Sirius who looked at the ground. "I-um-" he began in a scratchy voice. "I told."   
  
Dumbledores eyes lit up with fury. "Why?" was all he said not bothering to make his voice void of disappointment.   
  
"I'm sorry." Said Sirius looking at the ground. "He just sort of pushed all the right buttons and made me angry."   
  
Dumbledore stared at him. "You must learn to control your temper Mr. Black." Said Dumbledore gravely. "I'm taking away fifty points from Gryffindor and I want to have a chat with your parents. You're going to be expected to help Mr. Filch with his duties until January."   
  
Sirius nodded with his head down. Dumbledore turned to James. "Mr. Potter I'm proud of you. You risked your life to save Mr. Snape even though there is a mutual dislike between you two. For this I award twenty points to Gryffindor."   
  
"Thank you professor." James muttered with his head bowed.   
  
"Ms. Evans." Said Dumbledore kindly. "May I have a look at your bracelet?"  
  
"Of course professor." Said Lily taking her bracelet off she handed it to professor Dumbledore. He stared at it closely.   
  
"The fact that this ended up in your possession is no coincidence." He said and stared at James who looked away. "I warn you Ms. Evans do not use anymore spheres unless absolutely necessary. This bracelet is one of the last of its kind. The ministry has made it illegal to make more of these and those who do use dark magic to make them. This on the other hand was made out of pure white magic." He stared at the string which the spheres hung from. "Take care of it." He said handing it back to Lily. Lily put it back on and thanked the professor. "Send Mr. Snape up to my office once he's recovered."   
  
"I think we should get going to." Said Cassidy. "James needs his rest."  
  
"I'm fine." Persisted James although his exhaustion showed through clearly.   
  
"We're off. We'll talk to you tomorrow." Said Andrea. Lily with her head down turned around to leave.   
  
"Bye Prongs." Said Sirius.   
  
James eyes became stormy and he didn't look at Sirius. "Good night." Said James to no one in particular and turned over in bed to go to sleep.   
  
A/N: hehehe..uhh sorry I know this is a bit late but well....come on its 12 page long...that's gotta count for SOMETHING right??? Besides my keyboard screwqed up and the ? ker wasn't working.....And on top of that my social life was really being neglected and im having my FINAL EXAMS in THREE DAYS...so I was sort of um.....oh all right I was studying....yes for once in my life I was ACTUALLY studying. :p...expect the next chapter up sometime in June...cuz that's when summer vacation starts and my tests end! 


	12. Chapter 12: Making it work

A/N: SORRY! IM SO SORRY I HAVE NEGLECTED THIS TSPORY FOR SO LONG BUT I WAS ON VACATION AND I JUST GOT BACK! I went to England and unfortunately I was really really busy! ANYWAY IM BACK NOW and right now this is an AU story...and im thinking of ending it here..this chapter.  
  
The next morning came creeping over Hogwarts with a feeling of dread among the marauders. There were two reasons for this. What if Snape told everyone that Remus was a werewolf? And What would Remus say once he found out what happened.  
  
To the knowledge of the marauders at this moment Remus was probably transforming back to human form and he'd be severely injured. He'd probably then be taken to the infirmary.  
  
All James, Sirius and Peter could do was wait. It was probably six o clock when Madam Pomfrey brought Remus into the infirmary on a stretcher. James wasn't sure as he himself was half asleep. All he knew was that Remus was brought in around early morn and with a quiet exchange of hellos james dozed of to sleep with the sleeping potion taking effect again.  
  
Later on when james awoke he saw Remus lying in the bed next to him.  
  
"Moony?" asked James tentatively.  
  
Remus turned over and stared at James. "Good morning James." He said. "Or should I say good afternoon?" he joked.  
  
"Moony I swear I didn't know what Sirius did and I didn't mean to hurt you but if I hadn't then Snape would've died." Said James desperately.  
  
Remus help up a hand. "What happened, happened. There's nothing you can do to change it so stop trying to apologize. I heard enough from Sirius this morning."  
  
James eyes became stormy. "You talked to him?"  
  
Remus nodded. "Yes and I forgave him. You should too Prongs." James looked at Remus. How could Remus just forgive him like that? But James couldn't forgive him so easily. Because of Sirius three people could have died yesterday. Remus, himself and Snape. Because Siriuses carelessness...how could Remus just forgive him? But then it seemed odd that James couldn't forgive Sirius but Remus could and Remus was the wronged party here.  
  
James sighed.  
  
"People make mistakes James." Said Remus kindly. "Think of all the things Sirius has done for us. Don't just look at this one mistake and become angry."  
  
James didn't reply.  
  
* * *  
  
Lily sat reading a book when James and Remus entered the common room. All of them had been sitting in a corner of the common room and stood up to go greet the two of them when they entered. Lily stayed back to stare at James whose eyes had locked on hers.  
  
Her red hair flowed down her back in a mane contrasting oddly with the black shawl she had closely wrapped around herself. James was suddenly shook out of his trance when Peter waved a hand infront of his face.  
  
"Prongs are you there?" asked Peter.  
  
Lily shook her head and looked towards the floor before going to join the group.  
  
"Remus I'm so happy that you're uninjured." Said Lily and threw her arms around him in a hug. Pulling back she smiled at Remus before Sirius commented.  
  
"You know Lily Remus isn't the only one who made it back uninjured."  
  
Lily gave Sirius a playful swat on the arm. 'I don't want Kayla storming in here and calling me a boyfriend stealer." Sirius put an arm around Lily in a brotherly fashion. "You know I wasn't talking about me." He said and stared towards James.  
  
Lily ducked out of Sirius' reach and backed away to go sit beside Andrea. Natalie chose that moment to haul Lily up and grab James by the arm.  
  
"Time to practice for the opening dance." She said cheerfully dragging the two away.  
  
"Prongs you lucky dog!" called Sirius and then added as an afterthought. "Or should I say stag!"  
  
* * *  
  
"-and one and two-" came McGonagolls voice from the Great Hall. James cringed as he heard voices of pain and "Ow thast was my foot." Emit from the Great Hall. He prayed that Lily could dance well. He caste a fleeting glance down at Lilys feet. They were normal in size.they weren't big.'so if she did step on my feet it wouldn't hurt right?' he reasoned.  
  
"Earth to James." Said Natalie.  
  
"What?" he asked.  
  
Natalie guided James left hand to Lilys waist and the other to hold her hand. Natalie herself went to stand beside Jeffery who let his arm go around her waist. Natalie winked at Lily before the waltz was struck up.  
  
"ouch." Said Natalie cringing as Jeffery stepped on her foot.  
  
"sorry." Jeffery replied.  
  
"It's ok." Said Natalie looking at the floor.  
  
Jeffery looked around. "I'd say we did pretty good with the Christmas decorations." He said.  
  
"yea." Natalie breathed. The room was filled with floating mistletoes, Christmas wreaths hung on the topmost corner of the Hogwarts crest, little clouds that snowed when u walked under them floated around the room and the animal representatives of each house had been made into life size replicas at the front door. The lion and Serpent were on one side and the badger and raven were on the other side.  
  
"The credit should really go to you." Said Jeffery modestly. "I really didn't give you a helping hand."  
  
"Yea." Said Natalie bitterly. " You were to busy giving Shania a helping hand." Natalie sucked in a sharp breath. "Sorry." She said. "I didn't mean for it to come out that way."  
  
"It's O.K." said Jeff gently.  
  
"No it's not." Said Natalie. "Who am I to pry into your personal life? I mean we're prefects. Our relationship does not go beyond prefect duties. It's not right of me to says omething to you at a more personal level." She knew she was aying all this to spite him. To show that their companipnship that had been there was no longer there.  
  
"Nats-" Jeff began startled.  
  
"We shouldn't get frank." She said crisply. "We're prefects and our conversations should not go beyond needed. They should remain with in our duties, not our personal lives." Jeff then shut up and concentrated on not looking at her.  
  
A shriek suddenly filled the room. "james Potter you are so full of it!" Lily screamed.  
  
"Oh no." muttered Natalie.  
  
"Me? I'm full of it? Evans you're the one that's full of it! I dare say you'd never be able to snag someone like me!" James retorted. "You have no reason to be disappointed with the outcome but me! I have a reason!"  
  
"I can and WILL get someone like you! no wait someone BETTER than you. I don't want a dickhead for a husband! Why should I happy?! Why? I should be happy that the person I love is a selfish,pompous,heartbreaking,flirting GIT!?? Is that what you're saying?!!! James you may be boyfriend material but you will NEVER EVER be marriage material so get a life!" she snapped and turned to leave.  
  
"You're the one who needs a life!" he called after her. "And no one would want YOU for a wife!" Lily ignored him and kept on walking. "And you have big feet!" he added. His response was the slamming of the great halls door.  
  
James closed his eyes dispairinly and rana hand trhough his hair.  
  
"Right that's all for today." Said McGonagoll crisply. "Same time tomorrow and I want no disruption tomorrow understand Mr. Potter?" she asked giving James a pointed look.  
  
"Yes professor." James mumbled.  
  
"What happened?" asked Natalie running over to him.  
  
"I said I was sorry for being mean towards her and eventhough she played a really cruel joke on me I was willing to forgive her." He said. "She then got angry and said it hadn't been a joke and she had been as clue less as I was and she wasn't apologizing for something she didn't do." He sighed. "I then sort of got angry and asked whjy the hell she was dnying it and that she should be happy I was willing to forgive her because she'd probably never find someone like me for herself anyway and should thank God I was Jeremy instead of some geek kid with spiky hair and glasses."  
  
Natalie shook her head." And then she blew up right?"  
  
"Right." Said James. Natalie linked arms with James and they began walk to the Gryffindor tower. "I don't get you girls." James muttered.  
  
Natalie perkily replied with her upbeat walk "you will one day james. It took my dad 18 years of married life to understand women. So all you gotta do is marry Lily, have three daughters, wait fifteen or so year and you'll understand us."  
  
James looke dup at the sky. "Maybe-" he said. "Somethings are better left unknown."  
  
* * *  
  
"Go talk to her." Said Natalie nudging him towards Lily who was in her dorm with the door open. Her back was faced towards them.  
  
James went in and hastily closed the door behind him. Lily turned around as she heard the click of the door closing. James saw her tear stained face, red eyes and saw her breathing heavily her chest heaving up and down with her lips slightly parted.  
  
"Lily-" he began walking over to her and looked down at what a letter she was clutching close to her chest. He stared at it and realized it was a letter he had written to her as Jeremy.  
  
"I miss him." She wheezed out. "I miss him so much." She looked down at the letter. "I want my Jeremy back." She sobbed.  
  
James felt his throat constrict.  
  
"Oh God it wasn't a joke I swear it wasn't a joke." She sobbed. "I can't believe Jeremy would ever say what you said to me down there. I don't know what to think. Is this the real you-or is this the real you." She said holding the letter away from her chest so she could see it. She then brought it back to her chest.  
  
James sat down on the bed beside her.  
  
"Lily-I-" he didn't know what to say.  
  
"Those things you said to me down there-now that I know who you are-you don't know how much they hurt me." She said. "You just don't know. I see all those fights we had running through my mind andi can't believe you're Jeremy. I just can't."  
  
James brought an arm around her shoulders. "We can make this work." He said. "I'm sorry I didn't mean for anything to come out the way it did. I was just angry. I had put my Lizzie up on a pedestal as if she wasn't human but a goddess. I had expected so much from her..i expected her to be incapable of mistakes, to not have any faults. I-I guess-I guess I should've accepted the fact that she'd be human. I know all your faults. Venthough we always fight I now you inside out. I know your habits, your favorite foods, your fears that u never ven told Jeremy about and your faults. I just..i wanted my Lizzie to be inhuman I guess." He said. "I couldn't accept the fact that she was you because/because-"  
  
"because you knew me too well." Lily finished off. "You'd been looking forward to get to know her and then you realized you didn't need to get to know her..you know my faults, and you didn't want her to have any faults..i know I'm a disappointment to you-"  
  
"NO." said James." That's not what I mean. You're not a disappointment,. Not at all. Lily I'm happy you're Lizzie."  
  
"Why?" she asked staring at him.  
  
"Because to me you're perfect." He said. "We can make this work." He said. "We're going to try and make this work."  
  
Lily nodded. "Yea. I think we should."  
  
"I know we should." He responded. He sighed. "I know it'll take time, a lot of time but we have to get to that level we had while writing letters to each other."  
  
Lily heaved a sigh. "James frankly it's going to take a lot of work. And a long time."  
  
"It'll be worth it." He said and held her close. Lilys heart beat had sped up. She knew at first all this touching each other would feel awkward and almost fake but if they wanted to make this work it was a must. In her opinion it was to early for them to get so physically involved..but then there was that feeling of safety in his arms. Sighing Lily closed her eyes. "We're going to make this work." She said decidedly to James..  
  
"Even if it's the last thing we do." He replied.  
  
A/N: OK.now this is THE END. Lol sooo sweeet right? OK now..my other stories are all turning into AU.wut do I DO?!!!...ok another thing...want me to continue with Andrea and Sirius?!!! Want me too?? Hmmm?? Should i?? I'll create a new story with Andrea and Sirius...if u pple want me to.I have it all planned out wut goe son btwn them..just should I do the story.will pple read it or not??? 


	13. Chapter 13:Trying to 'make it work'

Lily studied James from her seat in the common room. They were all sitting around doing their homework and Lily was sitting on the other side of the little circle they'd formed. Her eyes kept straying to his broad form as she did her homework. It had been two days since they'd decided to 'make their relationship work' and Lily couldn't help blushing as she remembered the chaste kiss James had placed upon her forehead this morning when she entered the common room.

He was always courteous and walked her to her classes, sat beside her during classes they had together and never once let his eyes stray to another girl. He made Lily feel special and she felt a sense of pride as she noticed other girls glancing at him longingly. _He's so perfect_, she thought to herself, _he's smart, cute, handsome, kind, considerate, charming-_

"Lily once you're done staring at James could you help me with my charms homework?" Cassidy spoke up slyly.

Startled out of her thoughts she began to blush furiously whereas James looked up at her with a knowing grin.

"Can't stop thinking about me Evans?" he asked teasingly.

Lily scoffed. "Can't stop thinking how someone as arrogant as you got into Gryffindor." She replied with mischief in her eyes.

James stared at her warmly and Lily felt her whole being become warm. _'He really is an easy guy to fall for _she said to herself for the fifth time that day as if to excuse her increasing infatuation with him.

Lily smiled back at James before going back to her own homework. She heard him chuckle softly. Obviously he knew his charm and knew how to use it. Lily who had never been on the receiving end of his charm was being overwhelmed by his attention and generosity. She suddenly realized why so many females fell for him. Who _wouldn't_ fall for him?

She stole another look up at him to see him staring idly at her. He grinned mischievously as his gaze dropped to her mouth. Lily quickly looked back down at her work as she felt her face heating up. The whole group looked up as James chuckled softly and went back to his work.

--OoOoOOOOoOOOOO

"Where are we going?" Lily asked hesitantly as James led the way down a staircase.

"You'll know in a minute " James called from in front of her and then let out an expletive.

"What's wrong?" Lily asked warily.

"The staircases changed again." He replied sheepishly as they ended up in a dark, cold and damp corridor.

Lily shivered from the cold and suddenly felt James warm cloak incasing her. "Thank you." She murmured as she rubbed her cheek against the soft fabric and inhaled the scent that belonged to James.

"You're welcome Red." He said grinning down at her.

"Don't call me that." She said disapprovingly.

"I think it's a good nickname." He whispered into her ear seductively. Lily felt her face become warm due to his sudden proximity. "Lord you're cute when you blush." He whispered again and chuckled into her ear as Lily felt her face get hotter.

_He's going to kiss me_, Lily thought to herself as she felt his lips against her cheek and then her nose. He stared into her eyes uncertainly as if asking for permission to move further. Lily felt herself beginning to tremble, as she looked up at him which just as much uncertainty.

James sighed and pulled away from her. "I don't want to rush you into anything." He mumbled to the ground. "I don't want to go to fast for you." He admitted and looked up at her. "I know our…situation is awkward and until we're _both _ready to move ahead….." he suddenly quieted down and looked at her helplessly.

Lily felt her heart melt. He was being considerate. He didn't want her to do anything with him until they were ready….but she sure as hell wouldn't have minded if he'd….she suddenly shook her head and smiled at him.

"If I didn't know better Mr. Potter." She teased. "I'd say you brought me here on purpose."

James smiled devilishly at her. "Ah yes…..no one to hear you scream if I decide to take…liberties with you." He said in mock slyness as his eyes twinkled mischievously. He began to advance on her.

Lily took a step back still smiling at him. "I see you have me trapped." She said looked around her perceptively.

James raised an eyebrow. "It seems I do." He agreed pleasantly and reached out to grab her wrists. Lily evaded him easily and began running down the corridor.

"Never underestimate your adversary." She called behind her. "Especially if she's a red head." Lily added an afterthought and kept running and suddenly she felt James grab her by the waist and pull her into him.

James chuckled as his hands searched for their destination. "Now I have you." He whispered and suddenly began to tickle her.

Lily burst out laughing but not to be outdone she turned in his arms and grabbed his glasses.

"Hey!" James exclaimed as he tried to reach for his glasses and Lily saw her chance to escape from his grasp. "Give those back."

"Not unless you promise to act like a gentleman and take me back to the common room." Lily demanded still giggling.

James raised his hands up in mock defeat. "Fine let's go." He grumbled as Lily placed his glasses on his nose.

On impulse she kissed the tip of his nose. "Cheer up." She said as James led her back up the staircases. "I hear they're serving chocolate frogs for desert tonight."

James reply was stealing the band that kept her hair tied in a tight pony. "You're hair looks nice down." He commented as he put the band in his pocket.

Lily promptly decided that she'd wear her hair down more from now on.

OoOOOOoOOOoOOOoOoO

"Well how's everything going with you and James?" Natalie asked that night as they all on Cassidy's bed.

Lily closed her eyes and smiled. "Perfect." She sighed and opened her eyes. "He's so kind and sweet and considerate and-"

"We get the picture." Cassidy cut in and smirked. "You two looked so cute together while eating dinner in the great hall." She commented. "Sitting side by side while James whispered jokes into your ear making you laugh." She giggled.

Andrea looked up at Lily knowingly. "Lily you're falling for him bad. Just like I fell for Sirius." She said sadly looking down at her hands.

Lily looked down at her own hands. "James and Jeremy….they're both the same….and I'm realizing that now." She looked up at everyone. "I think I'm actually falling in love with him." She admitted stunning the occupants of the room into silence as she smiled to her self .

OoOoOoOOOoooOooOooOOooOo

James let out a small snort of laughter as Lily wiped a black smudge away from her cheek.  
"I TOLD you not to flick your wrist." he chortled.  
Lily gave him a death glare. "You said we were suppose to do that when transfiguring an inanimate object into an element."

"Yes but not when the element you're going to transfigure the pencil into is FIRE." he replied with merriment in his eyes. 

Lily rolled her eyes heavenward and looked at the desk and pencil that were not both black from the bang that had emitted from Lily's wand. She groaned and wiped her forehead creating a thick black line going across it. James laughed even more.

"You should take a look at yourself in the mirror." he commented.

Lily looked at him ruefully. "I must look a site." she confessed.

"Actually you look sort of cute." James said staring at her fondly. Her rosy cheeks had smudges of black dust and the cleft in her chin seemed more pronounced. Her eyes were twinkling merrily a jade green color while her pert little nose was the only thing left unmarred by black dust. His eyes suddenly dropped down to her pink, full lips...and then he realized what he'd just said. There was an embarrassed silence between the two before Lily suddenly broke it.

"I guess I better go get cleaned up." Lily muttered and stood. Her hair fell around her in disarray. James nodded before also getting up.  
"We've got dance practice in an hour." he informed her.

Lily nodded and scurried away. James watched her fiery red hair trail behind her as she hurried away. He suddenly found himself thinking that Lily was quite attractive...and then he froze in place as he realized he'd though of her as Lily...not Liz.

OOoOOOoOOoOOO

"Sorry." Lily muttered for the ump tenth time as she stepped on James feet.

"It's O.K." he managed without wincing in pain as they glided across the floor, or rather James glided while Lily stomped.

"You're not so bad at all at this dancing stuff." Lily commented.

James shrugged "My parents thought dancing was a skill I needed to know." he answered.

"No wonder your dates never turn pale when it's time to dance with you at a party." she teased. "My dates however always do." She said pathetically.

James looked down at her sparkling eyes and decided to indulge in a little flirtation of his own. "Looks like now I'll be the one turning pale at parties." he commented mischievously.

Lily blushed to the roots of her hair at the thought of being James Potters date.

"You're cute when you blush." he murmured in her ear making Lily step on his toes again.

"And I'm not sorry." she said triumphantly.

Her only reply was James chuckling in her ear. He was so close she could smell his cologne...and it was making her dizzy. Her knees suddenly buckled as he kissed her neck. She pulled back sharply to stare at him.

"Out of all places-" she muttered blushing furiously. "-you choose the great hall to finally 'put the moves' on me."

James burst out laughing. "I can be quite charming when I want to be." he said and winked roguishly at her.

Lily suddenly remembered why she'd ever been in danger of falling for James.

"You think things would've been different if we hadn't met on wizard net?" she asked somberly. "Maybe we would've finally-"

"Mr. Potter and Ms. Evans." McGonagall cut in. "Would you like to share with the rest of us why you two are still dancing about when I clearly instructed everyone to stop?"

James and Lily looked around to note that no one else was dancing. Lily ducked her head in embarrassment while James replied. "We thought we'd keep the students entertained for a little while longer."

Everyone burst out laughing while Lily allowed herself to be impressed by him. He could always handle embarrassing situations with such ease. Lily sighed wishing she was more like that. She studied him as they walked back to the common room together. He emanated such power, charisma and charm. Any girl could easily be charmed by him she realized. No matter who it-

"Umph!" Lily muttered as someone crashed into her. She caught a strong whiff of roses before a girlish voice said.

"I'm so sorry!"

Lily looked up and came face to face with what was simply a 'ravishing beauty.' There were no other words Lily could think of to describe her. She had dark brown tresses with light gold high lights in them cut stylishly to just above her shoulders. She was maybe two inches shorter than Lily with a petite frame and large blue eyes.

"Hi." the girl said smiling at Lily and then turning to look interestedly at James. "My name's Rosalyn. I'm new to Hogwarts. I just moved to England." she explained. "And Salem doesn't come under the district...Hogwarts does." she said smiling. "I'm a 7th year." she supplied and kept staring at James uncertainly who was looking as if he'd been struck by lightning.

All James could do was stare back and Lily felt her temper rising at the way James was looking at her.

"I'm James Potter." he quickly supplied. "This-" he jabbed his finger towards Lily. "Is Lily. We're both sixth years." He supplied.

"Nice to meet you both." She said brightly.

"Would you like me to-to maybe show you around the school?" James stuttered out.

"Oh that'd be great." Rosalyn said flashing a smile at James. She linked her arm with his and they began to walk down the hall, completely forgetting about Lily.

"I'll see you in the common room." James called to her before he made a turn and disappeared with Rosalyn. Lily meanwhile, tried to control the green eyed monster of jealousy that was unfurling inside her.

OOOoOoOoOOOOOoOO

"-and then he left with her!" Lily shrieked throwing her pillow across the room.

"O.K. calm down." Said Andrea as she sat beside Lily. "Look maybe he was just being nice to her."

"I don't care." Lily said stubbornly. "He didn't even glance back at me or-or-kiss me on the cheek good bye like he usually does. The smile I thought was mine alone….was being bestowed on that-that-bitch!" Lily finally exclaimed and Andrea sat back stunned. Lily never cursed….and here she was calling some girl she barely knew a bitch.

"Calm down." Andrea soothed. "Look you can't get worked up over this. It was nothing Lily."

Lily looked down at her hands. "I know it was nothing…I just felt hurt. I-I'm not use to James bestowing his attention on other girls I guess. He hasn't once even made small talk with another girl except for our roommates and Natalie. I guess I'm just...jealous." Lily admitted.

"O.K. now when we go down to the common room you are going to act as if nothing has happened." Andrea stated. "It won't do to show James that you're jealous. Just act normal."

OooOoOoOooOoO

"Why isn't James back yet?" Lily demanded from Sirius three hours later. It was past curfew and James was nowhere to be seen.

Sirius shrugged. "I don't know." He said and looked up at her. "You seem ticked off." He pointed out.

Lily grumbled and sat down. "He's been gone for over three hours!" Lily exclaimed. "How long could it take him to show that tramp around Hogwarts?"

Sirius looked up suddenly. "He's showing a GIRL around Hogwarts?" He suddenly asked sharply.

"Isn't that what I told you when I came in here like SIX hours ago?" Lily snapped.

"No, you said he's showing some new STUDENT around Hogwarts." Sirius corrected and got up.

"Where are you going?" Lily asked.

"To find that idiot." Sirius growled. "And remind him what's important." He added under his breath and He caste a glance at Lily to see her pulling a shawl over her robes.

"Where are you going?" Sirius asked incredulously.

"With you." Lily stated.

Sirius paled. "Er…Lily it's not a good idea…maybe you should stay here.."

She caste him a look that clearly stated she was in no mood to argue.

Sirius sighed in defeat. "Don't say I didn't warn you." He muttered and led her through the Portrait hole.

Sirius led the way while Lily followed him fuming. She stewed over the fact that he'd totally forgotten her and had spent a good portion of the evening and now night with that new girl. She promised to yell at him to within an inch of his life when she finally saw him. Why she was so mad that- Lily suddenly realized that the staircase Sirius was leading her down looked familiar.

"Where are we going?" Lily asked uncertainly.

"Oh no the staircase moved." Sirius said frustrated. "It usually leads to a corridor which leads the way into some underground garden. It's quite a thing to see but the staircase is always moving." He explained. "We discovered it a few weeks ago."' He also added. "And planned to show it to you girls but never got around to it." He shrugged and continued on down the staircase.

Lily's heart warmed at Sirius's words. James had wanted to take her to that garden. She was sure of it…..and the sweetness of his gesture made her heart constrict. She was jumping to conclusions. He had wanted to take her to show her the garden….

The Staircase suddenly began to move. "Lily hurry down the steps." Sirius whispered urgently. "Before we end up somewhere close to Filches office."

Both of them hurried down the steps, careful not to make a sound lest the caretaker hear them. Lily reached the bottom of the staircase and looked straight ahead. "I think I see someone." She whispered frantically. "Way down at the other end of the corridor." She gripped Sirius's arm. "What if it's one of the Professors? Oh we'll get into such trouble…." She trailed off.

"We could always say you weren't feeling well and I was taking you to madam Pomfreys." Sirius whispered back as the shape began to come closer. Lily looked around frantically and dragged Sirius to the back corner of the corridor where the shadows dominated the moonlight.

"Madam Pomfreys office is up there-" she pointed to above her indicating the upper stories of Hogwarts. "-how do we tell them we ended up here." She jabbed at the ground.

"Um….You're sense of direction is awful?" Sirius supplied making Lily roll her eyes and put her finger next to her lips as a sign of silence.

As the figure approached Lily discovered that the figure was actually two people….one of them who was achingly familiar….she grabbed Sirius's arm as she realized it was James.

The two figures approached and Rosalyn's voice spoke up. "James we've been walking around lost for _hours_. "She complained. "I don't know where this garden is that you're boasting about but I want to get to my common room." She whined and then began to tease. "Are you doing this on purpose?"

"Of course not." James said in an amused voice. "Why would you think that?"

Rosalyn laughed. "Either your sense of direction is really poor or you're doing this on purpose." She teased. "To get me alone."

"I've _had _you alone for _hours_." He pointed out smugly.

Rosalyn swatted his arm. "Don't try to get fresh with me." She teased. "I know how you English are." She said primly. James whispered something making her laugh. She then whispered something back to him and James burst out laughing.

Lily suddenly felt…inadequate. He looked so happy with her….and she looked perfect with him. She was actually making him _laugh_. Genuinely laugh…something Lily rarely heard. Oh she'd make him chuckle…snigger…but not laugh wholeheartedly as he was doing right now. Rosalyn was quick, clever, witty and majestically beautiful and Lily felt like a beggar in comparison. Why…Rosalyn wasn't even blushing idiotically like Lily always did when James whispered something in her ear…like he was doing right now….and then Rosalyn turned her head to look at him and their lips met.

Lily suddenly felt paralyzed. She was numb…she couldn't feel anything. Her stomach felt like ice….and suddenly as she saw James lift his hand to cup her cheek….she felt pain…humiliation….hurt.

Lily felt the onslaught of emotions attack her numb body and felt as if she was being suffocated. She couldn't stand here another minute…she couldn't…she had to get away….and therefore she emerged from the shadows and ran straight past the kissing couple and up the steps which led her to another unknown corridor and then up some more steps. She kept running and running and running-trying to run from what she just saw, trying to run from her feelings. She saw a staircase moving and ran towards it hoping it would find a resting place somewhere far away from the rest of the world, especially James.

The staircase seemed to comply with her wished and ended up in a corridor, which seemed as if no one had been there in ages. It was dank, musty and had cobwebs in the corners. There Lily allowed herself to finally sit down and cry. Loud wrenching sobs racked her body as she realized that the boy she had loved for the past three years was a fraud. Her stomach began to hurt and her ribcage began to ache but still she cried. She cried as she'd never cried before. She cried until she thought she was going to vomit and still she cried on until she was reduced to silent whimpering as tears streaked down her face. Her eyes felt hot and ached. She could tell that they must be puffy and red from crying. She closed her eyes mournfully as streaks of dawn entered the top windows and shined on her closed eyelids.

"Please let no one find me." Lily whispered. "Let me stay like this forever…"

It was only half an hour later that someone found her and tenderly picked her up in his arms.

"Do you think she's O.K.?" Andrea asked Terry anxiously.

Terry looked down at the beauty in his arms whose pain showed on every line of her face.

"I think-" Terry began grimly. "-that Potter is going to get the crap beaten out of him by me."

Andrea looked up at Terry with devotion. "You'd do that for her?" Andrea asked adoringly.

"I'd do that for you." Terry corrected. Then added. "She's your friend….and she's my friend too." He admitted. "She's one of the sweetest people I know….and besides-" he added kissing Andreas cheek. "-I can't stand the look of pain on your face you have on behalf of your friend."

Andrea smiled up at him and kissed him on the lips.

"We better take her to the common room." Terry whispered huskily when they pulled away.

Andrea nodded and followed him towards the common room.

OoOOooOooOoOoOOooo

"How could you be so stupid!" Sirius roared and ran a hand through his hair.

James sat in the common room looking down at his hands. It was still early morning and everyone had come back after looking Lily with negative replies.

"Doesn't Lily mean anything to you!" he demanded.

"She does….she did….it's just-" James began.

"DID?" Cassidy shrieked. "DID? So for the first pair of cute legs you leave Lily?" she asked with contempt.

"No!" James said defensively. "It's just…" he sighed. "…it's different with Rosalyn…she's….she's different…..yesterday…I felt as if I was in a separate world altogether. I felt like I could take on the world with her at my side…" he looked up at everyone. "I didn't expect something like that to happen…but I felt an attraction towards her from the moment I saw her." James shrugged. "It's not like I planned it….but that spark I've been looking for in Lily…I found it in Rosalyn." He leaned back and closed his eyes. "I didn't mean for it to happen." He whispered tiredly.

Remus shook his head. "James does this mean you and Lily are over?"

James shrugged. "I guess so…I can't…stay with her….it's Rosalyn I feel something for….not Lily…it would just be hurting us both if I stayed with her."

"He's right." Remus admitted. "He can't _force_ himself to like Lily…or love her….it's something that comes naturally…and it's not his fault…" Remus gave a wry smile." ..but we're still a little angry at you Prongs."

The portrait hole suddenly opened to admit Andrea and then Terry who was carrying Lily in his arms.

"She's sleeping." Andre whispered.

James felt guilt tear into him as he looked at Lily in her sleep. She looked so innocent, defenseless…and broken. He looked away as an odd lump gathered in his throat.

"Lily." Andrea whispered quietly. "Lily you have to wake up…"

Terry gingerly set her down on the floor but kept a tight hold of her until she as able to support herself.

"Andy?" Lily whispered thickly her voice laced with hurt.

"Yes." Andrea whispered. "It's me…come on let's go get some sleep. Let's go up into our dorm."

Lily drowsily opened her eyes and concentrated on propelling her feet towards the staircase. Everyone winced as they noted how puffy her eyes were and James felt like the lowest scum on this earth….how could he have done this to her? To his Liz? But he just couldn't seem to bring Lily and Liz together….and perfectly together like they should be….he had found his Liz in Rosalyn...he knew it. It was there…the spark, the attraction….the desire…

"Look at her." Sirius said thickly as Andrea and Cassidy helped Lily up the stairs and disappeared into their dorm.

Terry took a menacing step towards James. "Potter I swear you are going to regret this." He said menacingly and flexed his knuckled. Natalie suddenly put a hand on Terrys arm to stop him.

"Calm down." She aid to Terry. "I don't think Andrea would appreciate you starting a fight in the common room." She yawned and said tiredly. "Get some sleep. Thank God it's a Saturday…we all should get some sleep."

Terry relented but unwillingly and left. Everyone else did too and all James could see when he closed his eyes was a pair of green eyes filled with hurt. He felt guilty beyond redemption.

A/N:Ok yes due to lots and lots or urging from various pple ESPEICALLY bumi….i decided to continue this story and post another chapter.

And for those of you reading my other stories…don't worry..updates will come within the next month. I just need time…summers here so im pretty much free now. Lol.

N I cant do the thank you thing cuz im at the library..i just moved and haven't bought a comp yet…but as sson as I get my own comp…ill restart with the thanlk yous..n pple REVIEW …I need some assurance that pple out there are still reading this ANCIENT piece of crap..lol.


	14. Chapter 14:Meant to be Or not to be?

Andrea said worriedly. "Poor thing…she hasn't even come down to eat breakfast or lunch."

James looked at his hands as everyone else seated around the fireplace looked at him.

"Maybe I should talk with her." He finally stated.

Andrea nodded and pulled James along dutifully.

"Where are we going?" James asked bewildered as Andrea led him out of the common room.

"She's in Clearwater's dorm." Andrea explained. "She needed to get out of the dorm…so early this morning she went to hang out with him in his dorm."

James just nodded hoping Clearwater hadn't decided to take advantage of Lily's predicament.

As soon as he entered Bryan's dormitory he saw a fist fly at him and ducked just in time.

"You bastard." Bryan exclaimed and reached for the collar of James's robe.

"Let him go." Came a neutral voice from Bryan's bed. Lily sat huddled in the middle of it, hugging her legs. She looked as vulnerable as a child. James felt something constrict in his throat.

"Take a good look Potter." Lily sneered when she caught him staring. "You won't ever see me like this again over you so enjoy it while it lasts." She spat and hugged her legs tighter to her. She looked down for a minute and then looked up angrily. "In fact this isn't even because of you. I'm not mourning you're loss….I'm mourning Jeremy's loss." She ended and looked back down. James stared at her for a minute before taking action.

"I need to speak with Lily alone." James stated regally and stared at Bryan stonily.

Andrea had to practically drag Bryan out but as soon as the door closed James spoke.

"Come here Lily." He said achingly as he stood a few feet away from the bed. "We need to talk."

He didn't trust himself to go near a bed with Lily.

Lily stood on shaky legs and walked slowly towards him as her body trembled with what she was about to do. Finally she came to stand right in front of him…so close that her chest was almost touching his and she looked at him defiantly, almost like an angry child.

'Lord she's even prettier when she's angry.' James mused taking in the fire in her eyes and her heaving chest.

A sharp crack filled the air and James felt his head turn to the right but it wasn't until he felt the sting on his cheek that he actually realized that Lily had slapped him.

"Why!" she yelled as tears streamed down her cheeks freely. She began to beat her fists against his chest. "Why!" she choked out again beating her fists weakly against his chest. A minor pain in exchange for the intense pain he'd caused her. James hesitantly brought his arms to surround Lily.

"Let me go!" she yelled. "Let me go!" she began to struggle but James held on even tighter allowing his chin to come and rest on Lily's head, completely enclosing her within his warmth.

"Listen to me." James pleaded achingly rubbing his chin against the top of her head. "Please….just listen to me Lily. This isn't easy for me." And he was horrified to feel a lump forming in his throat.

It was the tremor in his voice that made Lily stop her struggle and she allowed herself the pleasure of feeling James embrace one last time. She went limp in his arms and allowed him to continue.

"I didn't plan this Lily." James whispered fiercely holding her close. "I swear to God I didn't plan this. Lily I loved you….I mean Liz…you….it's the same thing….maybe I still love you…I don't know. I'm so confused." He moaned and buried his head in her shoulder. "Please….try to understand." He said lifting his head and looking into her eyes. "I…what I expected to feel with you…that spark…it's in Rosalyn too….and right now…I feel a connection towards her…I don't know what it is….but I have never felt it before…and I was caught off guard. I wasn't planning on kissing her. It just happened and when it did…I felt something. I need to be with her to find out what it is I feel….otherwise I'll regret it for the rest of my life….even if we do end up together and fall in love…I'll never stop wondering what it was that I had with Rosalyn. I need to do this, to find out if you and I are really meant to be…." He sighed and looked into her eyes still holding her in his embrace. Then he continued. "If you still insist on being with me…and giving us a try…we'll pick up where we left off…and I swear I'll find a way to make up for what I did with her...but it won't be the same because what I currently feel for Rosalyn will always be between us and I won't be able to help but wonder what it was I had with her. It's your call Lily." He said earnestly. "I'll do whatever you say."

Lily hesitated before carefully adjusting a stray lock that had fallen in front of his forehead. He still held her in his embrace. The possessive urge to lock him up in her dorm and never let him out engulfed her. She could keep him if she wanted. He had just said as much but it wouldn't be fair. She had more pride and honor than that. She wasn't going to force him to stay with her…

_I swear I'll find a way to make up for what I did with her_

They could pick up where they'd left off…they could pretend nothing had happened but it wouldn't be the same. She shook her head and took a deep breathe. She assured herself before opening her mouth that she was doing the right thing.

"Do you love her?" she asked hesitatingly.

James shrugged. "I don't know….maybe I just feel a strong attraction towards her pretty face…but…_I need to know_." He said desperately.

Lily squirmed out of his grasp and instantly felt alone. She hugged herself and continued. "I won't stop you from being with her James." Lily said carefully and looked up at him surprised by how easily she was able to hide her breaking heart. "And if you find true love with her….I'll be happy for you." She gave him a watery smile and James felt his heart tug. He felt like monster for being the one to bring Lily down like this. "However if you find that she's….nothing but a passing fancy….I can't guarantee that I'll still be here waiting for you." Lily ended. "I'm going to live my life James….I'm not going to sit around waiting for you."

James felt like someone was wrenching out his guts. Lily with someone else? He couldn't begin to even think about it…his Liz with someone else? It was hurting him….hurting him more than he though it would. He was so confused….what was he suppose to do? He had only been with Lily for a little over a week at most…and the spark he'd been searching for had been found in Rosalyn…where was that spark with Lily?

James looked into Lily's eyes and wanted to drown in the watery green depths of them. He felt alone now that she was gone from his arms. He needed to wrap them around Lily one more time….just one more time…and maybe one kiss….or maybe two….or three….he reached out to grab her but Lily stepped away. She smiled at him sadly.

"No James." She said sadly. "Go to Rosalyn. You deserve to know….go…because now I won't have you-not until your feelings are clear."

James looked down at his hands wondering what he would have done if he'd actually grabbed Lily. Maybe this was for the best. He turned on his heel and walked out.

Lily buried her head in Bryan's pillow to muffle her sobs.

Lily spent what was left of the day with Bryan. She sat with him during dinner and even went back to his common room and sat with him and his friends as they all tried to console her-promising to tease Potter every chance they got and put frog guts in his wizards hat. Lily actually cracked a smile…and then Andrea came to get her.

"You can't stay here forever." Andrea pointed out. "You have to come back to the common room. Don't worry. Rosalyn's in Ravenclaw…you won't have to put up with her in your common room."

Lily bit her lip undecidedly. She _really _did not want to go back to the common room right now…everything over there reminded her of James…of Jeremy...she didn't think she'd be able to handle the poignant memories that would assail her once she entered the common room. It all seemed so long ago. She felt as if it had been a different Lily who had fallen in love with an unknown boy on wizard net-a Lily who had seen the world in an idyllic sort of fashion through rose tinted glasses. Oh how she'd matured in the span of one day. Now she knew better.

Lily looked at Andrea steadily while Andrea looked back at her. Finally Andrea lowered her gaze and sighed. "What are you going to do? Crash in Bryan's dorm?"

"The idea has merit." Lily snapped. How could Andrea expect her to go back to the common room…._how dare she?_ She was supposed to be her friend….she was supposed to understand…

"You're welcome to crash in our dorm." Bryan's friend Josh suddenly spoke up. "We'll make room for you."

Lily felt relief flood her veins. "Are you sure I won't be intruding?" Lily asked hurriedly hoping the answer was a big fat NO.

"Not at all." Bryan spoke up. "That is…. if you feel comfortable sharing a room with four guys…" he trailed off uncertainly.

Lily giggled. "Oh Bryan I know that you'll be there to keep those other three in check." She teased. "I just hope you four don't feel odd."

"No, no we don't have a problem but out of curiosity…who's going to keep Bryan in check?" one of his dorm mates, Elliot, spoke up. He was merely teasing and both his eyebrows were raised in expectation of an answer.

Lily giggled. "I will of course." She said proudly. She lifted one arm and tried to flex her non existent muscles. "See how strong I am?" Andrea poked her forearm and Lily yelled "OW".

"Yea, real strong." Andrea said dryly. "Well I see you've made your sleeping arrangements. I'll see you tomorrow." She turned and left.

OooOOOoOoOOoOOo

"She's what?" James asked aghast staring at Andrea who was playing wizard chess against Remus.

"Spending the night in Bryan's dorm….didn't you hear me the first time?" Andrea snapped as Remus captured her knight. "Dammit….I will not let you win this time Lupin." She muttered and raked a hand through her hair.

Terry watched her amusedly. "I never knew loosing got you so riled up." He commented.

Sirius snorted from his position in front of the fire. "Last time I lost a game to her I almost lost an eye."

Andrea looked at him with narrowed eyes. "I did _not_ know that when I threw my wand down it was going to emit a white light from its point and ALMOST hit your eye."

"I could've gone blind and she pleads ignorance." Sirius muttered taking a sip of Butterbeer.

"Can we get back to the original topic here?" James demanded.

"Huh?" asked Andrea.

"Huh?" asked Remus.

"Huh?" asked Sirius.

Cassidy had just entered the common room and after such a round of 'huh's she was also prompted to emit a "Huh? What's everyone talking about?"

"About how Lily decided to spend the night in Clearwater's dorm." James snapped heatedly. "Is she mad? What if she gets caught? And all of Hogwarts is going to be gossiping about this by tomorrow….her reputation…..and not to forget what will happen if the teachers find out."

Andrea rolled her eyes. "She's a big girl James. She knows what she's doing. Just give her sometime and she'll be back to normal."

James just shook his head and put his head in his hands. What had he done? He had forced Lily to do this-to go into hiding from him into a boys' dormitory. He wasn't stupid-he knew what he'd do if he ever had someone as pretty as Lily in his dorm and he wouldn't put it past Bryan to try and do the same. He was going to take advantage of Lily's vulnerability and use her. Taking advantage of someone's vulnerability was something James would never do, but he suspected it of Bryan.

"Do you have anything stronger than Butterbeer?" James snapped to Sirius broodingly as Andrea upset the chessboard in her frenzy of agitation at losing. Terry came to calm her down and led her out of the common room.

"I knew I was going to need this." Sirius muttered as he watched the two leave. He pulled out a bottle of Ogden's firewhiskey and handed it to James. He then took out another one and took it for himself.

Remus looked at them amusedly as Cassidy nestled into the crook of his arm.

"Have I told you recently how happy I am to have you for my girlfriend?" Remus muttered into her ear.

"Not since this morning." Cassidy giggled back as they went up to his dorm to get a little privacy.

"I see I'm falling behind." He murmured before kissing her on the staircase. Both then proceeded onwards as James and Sirius gulped down more firewhiskey.

"Bloody hell." James muttered after awhile and stood up. "Lily's being seduced and all I'm doing is getting completely foxed."

"Lily's what?" Sirius said with a slight slur. He stood up suddenly. "We must go save her….we can't let that happen…we have to look out for our –hiccup-own." He took a huge gulp out of his bottle and James did the same.

"Let's go." James said slightly tipsy himself now and both scrambled out of the common room only to be led back inside by Peter.

"I was sent to watch guard over you two. Andrea told me you two might try something stupid." Peter said condescendingly.

"Aw-you're no f-hic-un." Sirius slurred.

"Yea…we were going to go and save Lily." James exclaimed.

Peter's eyes widened as Sirius produced two more bottles of Ogden's Firewhiskey.

"You two are getting drunk!" he stated.

"Yup." Both said in unison before proceeding to get as James termed it 'completely foxed'.

OoooOOOoOoOo

Lily entered the Great Hall for breakfast with an extra spring in her step, rosy cheeks and twinkling eyes. Bryan had spent the better part of last night talking to her and telling her to forget about Potter and move on…and be happy for what she had. The twinkle in her eyes was due to the fact that she had passed Rosalyn in the hall and had seen her bag split open and have all her books spill out. It was mean…it was cruel….but the girl had taken James from her so Lily felt she was justified to take a LITTLE pleasure in Rosalyn's pain considering how much pain the girl had caused her, however unknown it was.

James on the other hand took all those three newly required traits into account and decided she had spent a night thoroughly making love with Bryan.

"Bastard." James whispered and speared his sausage with his fork. Lily was everything sweet and innocent, shy and reserved-why she even blushed when James so much as looked at her mouth. Would she blush anymore? James thought to himself. Or would she knowingly smile quite aware now of the effect she had on men? James quickly looked away as Lily plopped down in front of him, still looking at Andrea who was on her left. Lily turned to reach for an apple and her gaze met James gaze.

Lily's smile faltered only for a minute but then it was back on her face. "Hi James." She said brightly and went back to talking with Andrea. James could tell it was something important. She barely gave him anymore notice and began to whisper ferociously into Andrea's ear. Andrea's eyes widened and she kept on listening.

'Probably telling her every detail of her night with Bryan' James thought viciously.

"I swear Andy I'm going to either yell at him or beat him senseless….I'm not sad anymore…I'm bloody furious at James now. I'm glad I'm not with him anymore. Relationships don't work like this. You just don't leave your girl because you THINK there is some sort of connection between you and some stranger." Lily ended in a huff. "I pity the poor girl who ends up being his wife. He'll probably drop her after two months because her sister and he seem to share a connection." Lily whispered vindictively and took a bite of her apple. She then turned and smiled at James.

"Could you please pass me that pitcher of orange juice next to your elbow?" she asked politely. She took the pitcher, thanked him, and turned back to Andrea.

James couldn't help but smile when he realized he had been dismissed presently from the world of Lily Evans.

"Hey." Rosalyn said plopping down beside James.

Startled James turned to look at her and a lazy smile formed on his face. "Hey." He said softly. "How's your ..third day at Hogwarts going?"

Rosalyn smiled. "It's going quite well thank you." She commented helping herself to a piece of toast on the platter in front of her. "I found out quite a lot of interesting stuff about you from my dorm mates."

James suddenly stiffened….he hadn't told her about what had transpired between Lily and him. Hell he had not even asked Rosalyn out yet. He didn't want to scare the living daylights out of the girl with his feelings. He wasn't sure what Rosalyn's reaction would be when she heard what had happened between Lily and him. He was also afraid of her reaction once she learned of the strong feelings he had for her. Wooing Rosalyn was something that had to be done with accurate precision and careful planning. James had already learned she was not like most girls at Hogwarts who swooned at declarations of love. Rather she'd laugh in his face knowing he wasn't telling the truth. He had to be careful in making her his or he just might blow it.

"What sort of stuff?" he finally asked evasively noting that Lily had stopped talking to Andrea and was peering at Rosalyn.

Rosalyn took a bite of her toast, chewed and swallowed. She pretended to think and then answered. "Hmmm…" she began to count off what she'd learned on her fingers. "I found out that you once dated a movie star, know how to fight a Hungarian Horntail with your bare hands, rescued a boy from the giant squid once-" she was cut off by James roar of laughter. He impulsively leaned forward and kissed her on the lips.

"Rosalyn." He said pulling back and smiling at her. "You're the only girl I know that can actually make all that rubbish sound condescending."

She smiled sweetly at him. "I do try hun. Oh and let's not forget that you actually have a tattoo of a vampire on you're back."

James leaned forward and whispered seductively. "Would you like to find out if that's true?"

Rosalyn snorted and said loudly. "Please….I already know the answer to that. It's no."

"Are you sure?" He whispered mischievously.

Rosalyn looked at him for a minute before saying "Positive." She then stood up. "I have to go. It'll probably take me awhile to find my classroom and I don't want be late."

She waved before going off. James watched her leave and then looked back at his food. He looked towards Lily and Andrea to see both of them eating. He didn't know that both of them had been watching him closely while he conversed with Rosalyn.

OoOoOOoOooOoOO

"Lily right?" Rosalyn asked sitting down beside her in class.

Lily looked at her startled. "What are you doing in here?" she asked surprised.

Rosalyn laughed. "Actually I should be asking you that question…this is an advanced class after all and 7th years usually take this class." She looked at Lily pointedly before proceeding. "You must be a genius."

Lily laughed. "No I'm sorry. I just work hard that's all."

Rosalyn smiled. "Now you're trying to be modest. Well modesty won't work with me. You're still going to have to help me out when I don't understand anything because I'm terrible in charms."

Lily smiled but before she could reply Lily saw James walk into the class. He smiled at Lily and then motioned for Rosalyn to come talk with him. Lily respectfully reverted her eyes when she saw Rosalyn lean into James and start whispering something into his ear. James rested his hand casually on her lower back.

Lily looked down at her hands thinking she must be one of the biggest prudes in the world. Rosalyn probably hadn't had any qualms about kissing James…or letting him touch her, whereas Lily had jumped at every single touch James sent her way. No wonder he liked Rosalyn. She was truly a girl who knew her mind and exuded confidence. She didn't get nervous if someone tried to kiss her. Again Rosalyn had succeeded in making Lily feel inadequate as well as a girl who had backward views like 'taking it slow'. Lily suddenly realized she'd taken everything to slow with James.

Maybe if they'd become intimate he wouldn't have….Lily shook her head and reproached herself.

It wasn't her fault exactly that she'd never been intimate with a guy. She'd never even been kissed by a guy yet, which is why she had been so nervous about letting James kiss her. What if she had not been good at it? What if she had been awful at it? Again she was going down the wrong track and scolded herself.

'If he likes you, he likes you.' She scolded herself. 'Sex or being physical has nothing to do with it...and if it does then he's not the one for you.'

With that consolation Lily took out her wand.

OooOoOOOOoOOo

"So you had a class with Lily today." James observed nonchalantly as he sat across from Rosalyn in her common room.

Rosalyn nodded as she put the finishing touches on her essay. "She's really nice." Rosalyn commented absent mindedly.

"Did she uh…say anything weird or out of hand? Did she do anything to make you uncomfortable?" James couldn't help as the questions came tumbling out.

Rosalyn looked up startled. "No." she began slowly. "In fact she helped me with a lot of stuff I didn't understand and even offered to help after class in the evenings if I ever needed any. Why? Is she one of those girls that are really nice to you on the outside but a total bitch on the inside?" Rosalyn asked warily.

James snorted. "She's anything but that. It's just…..if she's your friend then she's a very good friend but if she doesn't like you then she just won't like you and if you're her enemy then God help you."

"Oh so you wanted to make sure she likes me." Rosalyn concluded and smiled at James. "Don't worry James your friend likes me and I like her. You two are friends right? Although I did hear that you two never really got along until recently."

James shrugged. "We tolerated each other when we use to hate each other but yes now I guess you could say we're on more civil terms."

Rosalyn wanted to ask more questions but she could tell James didn't like discussing this subject so she began to put her books back into her bag.

"Would you like to go for a walk?" James asked standing up.

In answer Rosalyn also stood up and left the common room with him.

OooOOoOoOo

"Sirius what are you doing here?" Andrea asked groggily not at all surprised to see Sirius on his broomstick hovering outside her dorm window. She yawned and rubbed her eyes. "It's 2 in the m-m-m-mooorrning." She yawned.

"I need to talk to you." Sirius replied. "It's quite urgent."

"Urgent enough to wake me at 2 a.m.?" Andrea asked skeptically.

"Yes." Sirius said stubbornly.

Grumbling Andrea tied the sash of her white robe with tiny pink flowers on it tighter and stepped over the ledge to sit in front of Sirius with both legs on one side.

"I'm not riding astride with a nightgown on." Andrea snapped and grabbed onto the broom.

"Hold on tight sweetheart." Sirius whispered mischievously in her ear and soared upwards with remarkable speed. Andrea gripped the broom handle fiercely as the cold night air whipped around her waking her up and making her forget that Sirius had called her sweetheart.

Andrea let out a breath of air and laughed. "I haven't done this in awhile." She admitted laughingly. She had quite forgotten the thrill of going on a broom ride with the cold night air flowing around you.

"Me neither." Sirius replied into her ear. "Last time was when you and I were still….do u remember the last time?" he asked earnestly.

"How could I not forget?" Andrea asked reminiscently as Sirius slowed the broom down so she could loosen her grip.

"You were wearing your blue nightgown." He coaxed. "Gryffindor had won a Quidditch game the previous day."

"I know you were so happy about it." Andrea said dreamily. "We rode on your broom for hours and even watched the sunrise together."

"We did more than that." Sirius said devilishly and allowed his breath to tickle the hairs on the back of her neck.

Andrea suddenly straightened and said crisply. "Why did you bring me here Sirius?"

Sirius sighed in her ear. "Isn't it obvious Ans?"

Andrea turned to look at him pointedly. "I have a boyfriend." Andrea pointed out.

"Don't remind me." Sirius replied and his eyes hardened. "Every time I see you with him I feel like ripping his head off."

Andrea looked at Sirius sadly. "Where was all this Sirius when I needed you?" she asked sadly.

Sirius looked away. "I've been an ass." He said in defeat and then looked back to her. "I realized too late what love means." He whispered and brought a hand up to cup her cheek. "Don't tell me I'm going to have to spend my whole life paying for it."

Andrea jerked away from his hand and tried to guard herself against his tender gaze. "Sirius one day you'll find a girl who loves you as much as I love Terry." She replied tonelessly. "Now take me back to my dorm."

Sirius didn't reply. Instead he simply changed direction, dropped her off at her dorm and left. Andrea watched him leave with a tinge of disappointment. Well what had she expected? That he pursue her relentlessly? Please- that sort of rot only happened in romance novels.

OoooOOOOoOo

"You're about to fall asleep in your porridge." Lily commented the next morning jolting Andrea awake.

"Huh?" she asked with her face only mere inches away form said porridge.

Cassidy looked at her oddly. "Are you O.K.?"

"I'm fine." Andrea grumbled. "I just didn't get much sleep last night."

Andrea had stayed up half the night torturing herself with what Sirius was offering her but she couldn't accept…couldn't do that to Terry.

"I wonder why." Sirius remarked off handedly. He smirked as Andrea glared at him.

Andrea was very putout by the fact that Sirius looked as if he'd had his designated 8 hours of sleep. He sure as hell hadn't lost any sleep over what had transpired between them last night.

Everyone suddenly stood up as the signal for end of breakfast went off. Groggily trailing behind everyone else Andrea stopped short when Sirius started walking beside her as she made her way to class.

"Here." Sirius muttered handing her a small box.

Andrea took it and read the label. "Energy pills?" she asked curiously looking up at him.

Sirius winked. "They help you stay awake and they actually work." He leaned down to murmur in her ear. "I speak from experience since I took a few this morning."

Andrea stood stock still stunned by the fact that Sirius had just admitted that he hadn't gotten much sleep last night either. He took the opportunity to kiss her cheek.

"See you at lunch….Ans." he whispered in her ear and then left.

Andrea stared after him for a minute and then shook her head. Was Sirius Black actually courting her?

A/N: like? Hate?...leave a review! Lol. N yea the slap Lily gave james is dedicated to bumi! She is the one who actually got me back into writing again so you can thank her for these recent updates! Lol. Thank you everyone for reviewing! U make my day!

Temme wacha all fink of this chappie…I promise there is more ahead…I sat down after writing this and wrote 20 more pages! Most of is basically utter nonesenes and fun…but I liked writing it. Aiighh next chapie-THE BALL! Dun dun dun!


	15. Chapter 15:Attending the Christmas Ball

"Why are you so shy?" Rosalyn suddenly asked while she and Lily sat in the library. Lily was helping her with a charms assignment.

Lily looked up at her startled. "I'm shy?" Lily asked curiously.

Rosalyn shrugged. "Shy…reserved…quiet…all the above…except when you're with your friends." Rosalyn added as an after thought.

Lily hesitated not sure what to say.

"There you see…if I was one of your friends you would've said something by now not caring what I'd think." Rosalyn pointed out triumphantly. Her eyes then sobered. "You're really nice Lily and I'd really like to get to know the real you."

Lily couldn't help but blush at Rosalyn's compliment.

"Ah I see we have a blushing Lily on our hands." Came a mischievous voice.

Lily looked up to see James taking a seat on the left side of the square table close to Rosalyn. She smiled at him surprised at how easily she'd been able to hide her feelings these past few days. She cried every night pouring out all her emotions into the still night but it helped her because she was able to vent out all her feelings and feel empty enough to bottle up the onslaught of emotions that would attack her the next day when she saw James. For the most part James had been very nice to her and even acted as if she were his friend. Lily retaliated by acting the same way.

"She looks so sweet when she blushes." Rosalyn teased making Lily blush even more.

Shaking her head Lily began to gather her things.

"Where are you going?" Rosalyn asked. "I'm not letting you off the hook that easily. You have to sit and help me get this essay done."

Lily caste a glance at James and then said. "Don't you two um….want some time alone?" she finally asked.

Rosalyn caste James a disapprovingly glare. "Hardly." She said dryly. "He's here a whole half hour early. So he gets to sit and be bored while we work on my essay."

"I think your plan might fail there love." James teased making Lily wish it was her he was calling love. "How could I be bored when two extremely pretty ladies are sitting on either side of me?"

Rosalyn just shook her head. "Always the flatterer." Rosalyn commented dryly.

"I do try." James commented and turned to look at Lily suddenly realizing that his light banter with Rosalyn might be disturbing her. He looked to see her smiling and shaking her head as well.

"Is he always like this?" Rosalyn turned to ask Lily.

Lily just nodded with a small smile playing on her lips. "Most of the time." She teased.

In mock outrage James commented. "I resent that." Only to see the two of them begin laughing. He shook his head. "I did hope to amuse you ladies but poor unsuspecting me didn't know I was going to become the butt of your jokes."

Lily tasked. "We're not going to be able to get anything done as long as he's sitting here." She began to gather her things. "I'll meet you here tomorrow and we'll resume working on your essay." She bid them good bye and left.

James watched her leave and then turned to look at Rosalyn. "Once you get past that wall of reserve she's built around her, she turns out to be quite an interesting person." Rosalyn commented. "Don't you agree?"

James merely nodded. He seemed quite preoccupied and Rosalyn waved her hand in front of his face to get his attention. "You O.K.?" she asked.

James looked at her closely. "I need to talk to you." He stood up and led the way out of the library and onto the Hogwarts grounds.

"What do you want to talk about?" Rosalyn asked curiously as she stood behind him peering at his back.

James suddenly turned and kissed her tenderly. When they parted he leaned his forehead against hers. His breathing was hard and Rosalyn felt his hot breath on her lips when he began to speak.

"Rosalyn we've spent the past couple of weeks getting to know each other and I was wondering if you, madam, would give me the honor of being my girl friend." He said in a teasing voice against her lips and grinned.

Rosalyn smiled and kissed him.

"I thought you'd never ask." She breathed against his lips.

James smiled. "Patience is a virtue." He mumbled and began to kiss her nose, cheek, neck and forehead.

"Not in this case." Rosalyn commented dryly and stilled his face with both her hands. "Kiss me again." She breathed and James complied crashing his lips into hers.

OoOOoOoOoOoOo

"Someone seems happy." Remus commented as James entered the common room with a silly grin on his face. His hair was mussed up as if someone had been running their fingers through it and his shirt was quite ruffled showing that someone had gripped it earnestly and maybe even unbuttoned it.

Andrea paled and reacted instinctively.

"Don't let Lily come down until James goes up." She whispered to Natalie.

Natalie quickly complied walked towards Lily's dorm room.

Sirius sniggered. "Prongs get lucky yet?"

James looked at Sirius exasperatedly. "Please…I don't look that bad do I?"

"You look bad enough." Andrea commented dryly. "Oh and James you've got some lipstick right here." She tapped a slender fingernail against the left side of her neck.

James reached up a hand to try and rub it off.

"It's not going to come off." She assured happy to see James suddenly pale and went back to her magazine. While everyone else pretended as if nothing had happened Andrea was still cross at him over what he'd done to Lily. She chuckled behind her magazine as she heard James mutter a curse when the lipstick didn't come off and then stilled when she heard Lily walking down the staircase.

"Natalie I'm sure this is _my_ book not yours. See-" there was a pause. "-it even has my name on it."

"Oh then I lost mine…will you help me look for mine in my dorm?" Natalie asked as they got closer and closer to the bottom.

"Sure." Lily replied as she stepped into the common room. "Let me gather my books from the common room first. Just give me a min-"her eyes landed on James. "-ute." She ended as she took in his appearance. There was a tense silence as everyone waited to see what Lily's reaction would be. "Seems you kept Rosalyn busy." Lily said dryly. "Maybe you should start coming to our study sessions half an hour early every day."

The tension in the air suddenly evaporated as everyone realized Lily was making light of the situation.

In his element James grinned bashfully. "And risk your temper? No thanks."

Lily merely shrugged. "Oh and you've got some lipstick right here." She touched the left side of her own throat.

James just grumbled. "It's not coming off."

"Would you like to borrow my make up remover?" Lily teased.

"Very funny." James mumbled but couldn't help and crack a small smile.

Lily picked up her books lying on the couch and turned to walk up the staircase again. "Come on Natalie. Let's find your lost book."

"Oh I found it." Natalie suddenly spoke up.

Lily blinked. "So soon? You didn't even go up to look for it."

"Oh um….I remembered that I left it at home." Natalie said nervously.

Lily looked at her knowingly. "I suspected as much." And with that she passed a stunned Natalie and walked back to her dorm.

That night Lily had to caste a silencing charm around her bed so Andrea and Cassidy wouldn't hear her sobs.

OooOOoOoOOOoO

"Are you O.K. with having to dance with him tonight?" Natalie asked anxiously as they walked towards the Great Hall for their last practice dance.

Lily nodded. "I'm sure. I've become quite adept at hiding my feelings. He most likely thinks I feel nothing for him now." She sighed sadly. "But you know sometimes it still hurts….I feel that void inside of me and I wonder if he feels it too."

"I highly doubt that." Natalie said dryly as they rounded a corner and saw James standing in front of the entrance to the Great Hall. Rosalyn was pushed up against him so close that there was no space left between their bodies. James head was bent down to hers and his hands were gripping her waist while hers were around his neck. They kept on kissing at small intervals.

"See that's why I think she's perfect for him." Lily said in an undertone. "He looks so happy…" she sighed sadly. "..I'd never have enough guts to do that with him in plain sight of everyone." And then her body suddenly felt very warm at the thought of being that close to James Potter.

Lily shook her head and walked forward with Natalie.

"Get a room you two." Natalie called out to the lovey dovey couple.

Rosalyn pulled back and smiled. "Hey Lily." She then looked at Natalie quizzically. "Natalie right?"

"Right." Natalie replied and then went on. "Well I best get in there before McGonagall yells at me. " She smiled at Rosalyn before waving past her and entering the Great Hall.

James playfully bowed and extended an arm for Lily. "Shall we proceed my good lady?" he asked expecting her to take his arm.

Lily merely rolled her eyes heavenward and shared an exasperated look with Rosalyn. She then spotted Bryan approaching and commented. "I rather think Bryan would be a more suitable escort." She teased and linked her arm with his when he stopped in front of her at the sound of his name. "Come along Bryan. You're just in time to save me from that scoundrels clutches." Lily giggled and walked into the Great Hall with him.

James watched her leave amusedly and then turned to Rosalyn. "I'll see you later, love." He said and kissed her cheek before walking over to take his place in front of Lily. The dance started and James looked down at Lily and spoke up.

"Are you doing alright Lily?" he asked uncertainly.

Lily looked up at him oddly. "I'm fine….why am I suppose to catch a cold?" she teased.

James laughed and Lily grew warm when she realized this was the first time she actually made him laugh.

"That answers my question." He said decidedly and then continued. "You've changed."

Lily looked up at him startled. "I don't think I have." She replied.

James shook his head. "You're more…open I guess."

"Oh." Lily said smiling. "You can thank your Rosalyn for that. She said something to me a few days back which kind of made me realize I need to open up more." Lily shrugged. "I haven't really become a social butterfly but I do try to say what I'm thinking instead of just keeping quiet."

James looked down at her surprised. "Funny how I never noticed that."

Lily shook her head. "Maybe because I was never really open or frank with you in the first place." Lily pointed out. "But I am trying now. Before if we were among a lot of different people….I would keep quiet for fear of saying something stupid I guess…or maybe I was just quiet because I didn't feel comfortable around them but now I do try to put my two cents in." Lily ended decidedly. "I don't want people to think I'm boring after all." She teased.

"No one could ever think you were boring Lily." James said tenderly and felt a twinge of pride at how well she was coping with everything. "I'm proud to be able to call you my friend." He said affectionately. "I'm sorry for whatever happened between us but you didn't take it out on Rosalyn and you didn't act childishly about it. In fact I'd say you've gotten over what happened."

Lily shrugged. "I moved on I guess." She murmured.

The song ended and both of them parted.

"See you tonight." Lily said and turned to go and get ready.

OoooOOoOO

"Wow Andrea you look so pretty." Lily gushed as she eyed Andreas light green robe. It was made of lacy chiffon with off the shoulder sleeves. The robe obviously fell down to her toes. Her hair was spiky straight falling down to her bare shoulders to rest. She had also taken a leaf out of Rosalyn's book and had blonde highlights in her hair.

"You think Terry will like it?" Andrea queried.

"He'd be blind not to." Lily commented and then lowered her voice. "How's everything going with you and Sirius?"

Andrea shrugged. "He's been…wooing me you could say….but I just can't leave Terry for him Lily. Terry's so nice and Sirius….is Sirius." She ended putting the finishing touches on her light green eye shadow.

Cassidy suddenly sidled over to steal some of Andreas black eyeliner. Cassidy had at the last moment decided not to wear the golden brown velvet robes she had gotten in Diagon Alley. Her mother had sent her these robes as an early Christmas present and Cassidy dutifully wore the robes her mother sent her. Besides they were much better than the ones Cassidy had gotten at Diagon alley. She could always return those robes on the next Hogsmeade trip considering they'd cost a good part of her allowance.

Cassidy wore a simple set of blue robes. They had long drooping sleeves and looked like something out of a medieval story book with the drooping V at the end of the bodice and the long flowing skirts. The fabric seemed to shimmer with sparkles and every time she moved the sparkles reflected the light. She wore her hair in curls flowing down her back.

"Oh my bracelet would look perfect with that dress!" Lily exclaimed and took out a box from underneath her bed. From it she produced the bracelet James had given her long ago.

"Are you sure?" Cassidy asked hesitatingly.

"Yes I'm sure." Lily said and pressed her bracelet into Cassidy's hand so that Cassidy would either have to grab it or let it fall to the ground. "I don't care anymore." She said nonchalantly. She was definitely getting better at this lying about her feelings thing.

Lily then turned to face the mirror and tie the strings of her halter top robe tighter together. She was wearing an ensemble so daring and yet modest it was sure to confuse the lot of ball attendees. Her halter top robe was of a golden gauze fabric which clung to her curves seductively. The strings were tied so closely together that there was not even a chance of her cleavage showing as the fabric itself formed a small V two inches beneath the hollow of her throat. Her arms were bare as were her shoulders for the strings of her halter robe were just that-two pieces of gold strings resembling threads. The back was absolutely bare. In contrast the robe fell to the floor and covered her feet which were encased in dainty gold sandals. Her hair was put up in an elegant chignon with a few stray strands to frame her face. Lily was the only person who could actually pull it off without appearing too racy for in the wizarding world everyone wore robes and the concept of robes without backs or short robes had not yet fully emerged.

Yet Lily with her blushing face and down cast eyes looked like a being from heaven. Her eyes held all the modesty needed to make her look seductive yet innocent, modest yet racy, reserved yet open, mysterious yet inviting. Her deep green eyes all the more encouraged someone she was an angel cast down from heaven.

"Wow Lily." Natalie breathed entering the dorm room. "You look…wow…and the gold color doesn't even clash with your hair…wow."

Lily grinned. "Thanks…." She then looked down for a minute and looked every bit as vulnerable as she was feeling and then with her heart in her eyes she looked up and asked before she could stop herself. "….it's something Rosalyn would wear isn't it?"

"Oh Lily no." Andrea breathed and hugged her from behind. "Please Lily do not try to be like Rosalyn. Lily to me you're worth a thousand Rosalyn's and if James doesn't see that it's his loss. The robe looks wonderful on you but if you're wearing it to copy Rosalyn then take it off right now."

Lily looked down at her robes and then looked up. "I don't know." She finally admitted. "Is it me? I never wear robes like this…." She sighed. "...and yet…I liked it. I want to make a statement. I'm tired of being in the background." Originally the robe had been gold with full sleeves and an off the shoulder neck as most dress robes were. However, a quick sneaking out of the school and visiting the seamstress in Diagon Alley had fixed that.

"Lily you've never been in the background." Cassidy insisted keeping her voice low so that their room mates didn't hear. "You may be quiet and reserved but that's never made anyone think of you as being in the background. In fact it's made you more popular and you know it. Your quiet demeanor with everyone but us makes people want to befriend you and make you become as open with them as you are with us. Your personality rather attracts people instead of distracting. You're quietness gives a mysteriousness about you that boys want to discover and you refusing them these past few years has made you all the more sought after."

Natalie sighed. "Lily you know all this. You don't need us to tell you. Right now you're putting yourself down because James fell for a pretty glamorous face. It's not you Lily, it's James. Rosalyn has a kind of glaring beauty that isn't unique but recognized throughout the world as beauty while you have a beauty that is unique and different. It's the kind of beauty that any magazine would want to capture on camera but Rosalyn's beauty? Please what's so different about it? As a mater of fact what's so special about her personality? You're the unique one and James just chickened out in the end." With that Natalie sat down in a huff and continued. "You can't keep putting yourself down and I for one, however think it's a good idea you're not trying to blend in. You're special Lily and you deserve to stand out but you've been too shy to stand out. Well I say now it's your turn to stand in the spotlight and show everyone how creative and elegant you are. That dress is not Rosalyn it's you Lily. All you. The color, the length, the racy back-it's all you and reflects your personality perfectly so I say wear it and flaunt it."

Natalie stopped again and then suddenly realized she'd spoken loud enough for the whole dorm room to hear. She then blushed but Kayla suddenly began to applaud.

"Hear, hear!" Kayla exclaimed making Natalie groan out loud.

"If any of you breathe a word-" Andrea began but Sonia cut in. (Most of the girls had gathered in one dorm to get ready for the ball).

:"Our lips our sealed. "

Satisfied Andrea slipped into her sandals.

Lily slipped on a champagne colored shawl and looked at Natalie.

"Ready to go down? We should get there early as we're to open the ball with a dance."

Natalie nodded as she ran a brush through her hair one last time and quickly checked the mirror to make sure she was looking presentable.

"You look beautiful." Lily assured Natalie.

Natalie looked down at her robes proudly. Her robes were undoubtedly 'chic'. They looked like something out of a New York fashion magazine. They were a deep brown with a rolled down collar and a deep V formed by one side of the material starting at the collar and going down to the waist and then the other side coming over that material forming V and hinting at her cleavage. The robes were tight with a small brown cord to tie around the waist. The sleeves reached to her elbows and smartly had small slits in them and buttons to give the impression that they were cuff sleeves. She wore black boots which met the hem of her robe around mid calf. Small pockets were visible on both sides of the robe with little round buttons on them identical to the ones on her cuff sleeves. Her hair had been curled and parted at the side.

Natalie merely shrugged. "I was going for more of an urban thing. I'll do formal next year." She grinned.

Lily smiled as both of them walked down towards the Great Hall waving bye to the teasing whistles of Sirius who remarkably did not have a date to the dance. He was going stag for the first time in his life. He had also recently broken up with Kayla. Oddly enough Kayla had not even blathered and sobbed and begged for him to keep her. Remus had said that Sirius had broken up with her quite maturely and comforted her for a few minutes. Lily couldn't help but wonder what had gotten into him. Did he finally realize he loved Andrea?

Lily searched for James but learned that he had already gone to meet Rosalyn (Remus had informed her quite slyly) and Lily was thankful. She didn't think she'd be able to handle James gazing at her as she walked down the steps from her dorm to the common room. There would be just too much scrutiny in his gaze which Lily would not be able to take.

Lost in thought Lily stepped into the Great Hall and gasped. She turned to look at Natalie.

"It's beautiful!" Lily exclaimed looking at the decorations. "How'd you manage to do all this?" she looked at Natalie appreciatively.

In addition to the previous decorations (the floating mistletoe, the snowing clouds and life sized replicas of the four house mascots) The Great Hall was decked not in candles but fairies to light the hall. This resulted in certain areas having a pinkish glow about them while other had a more greenish pastel glow or reddish glow. It almost gave a toned down version of disco lights. Ice sculptors the four house animals stood in four corners of the room and seemed to rotate in the spot resulting in the reflection of the different colors of the pastel colored fairy lights. The four life sized replicas that had been still before were now moving on the spot. The Lion twitched it's tail and tried to paw at the fairy lights or stand on both of it's hind legs; the Snake twisted and twirled on the spot sometimes coiling onto a heap on the floor or raising itself up to hiss at the fairy lights; the Badger merely ran around in circles on it's pedestal or just sat in place; the Raven flapped it's wings periodically and opened it's beak in a silent 'caw caw' or followed the fairy lights with its eyes. House elves were scattered across the ballroom, standing back respectfully until their service was needed giving a more elegant setting to the area. Also in respect for the leaving 7th years, one whole wall was dedicated to showing enlarged pictures of the seventh years studying, hanging out and just plain having fun. The pictures changed after every one minute. People had begun entering the ballroom now and it was almost time for Lily to take her respective place for opening the dance and then a picture of Andrea and Terry popped up.

Both were sitting in the Gryffindor common room on a couch next to each other. Andrea's eyes were cast downward as she smiled bashfully while Terry was leaning down trying to catch her eyes. One hand cupped her chin trying to force it slightly up so that she would look at him. No one could miss the twinkle in his eyes as he tried to cajole Andrea to look at him while Andrea kept looking away bashfully even looking away to face the crowd in the Great hall. Her eyes were alight with happiness and twinkled mischievously.

"Terry!" came Andrea's horrified scream and Lily turned to look as Andrea began questioning Terry about who had taken that picture. He held up his hands in defense telling her he had no idea and then whispered something mischievously in her ear making her slap him on the shoulder lightly. Sirius stood a few feet away looking at the picture and then at Terry who was now trying to get Andrea to kiss him. She however wasn't complying and kept pushing him away laughingly.

Lily smiled happy that her friend was happy and that she didn't see the devastated look on Sirius's face that Lily saw. She then saw Rosalyn standing with James only a few feet away from Sirius. Rosalyn wore a set of robes that could only be described as seductive. Her robes were a deep red and cinched at the waist. Her chest almost seemed to be bursting out of her robes. The neck was low showing a good deal of cleavage and her robe did not have sleeves, rather it had two thin straps. Her robes flared out from her hips onwards and ended when they reached the floor. Her hair had been dyed black for tonight with curls cascading down to her shoulder blades. She looked like a temptress sent to tempt men to taste the forbidden fruit and if she really had been one all the men would not have given a second thought to tasting that forbidden fruit. She was looking at James laughingly as his gaze purposefully kept straying to her cleavage and he kept on saying some preposterous thing (most likely about her cleavage) making Rosalyn laugh and push him playfully. Lily looked away just before James looked up to see the back of her head and her shawl draped over her back covering her dress. James looked back down at Rosalyn and explained that he had to go because it was almost time for the opening dance. He kissed her cheek and left to go stand in front of Lily as everyone else also took their proper places.

"Hi." James said in greeting when he stood right in front of Lily.

Lily however wasn't listening as she once again had her back to him and was signaling to an elf to come to her. The elf made its way from against the wall towards her. Lily looked up and smiled at James. He felt his breath catch when he saw her smiling up at him with her green twinkling eyes and that alluring chignon with a few strands to frame her face. He looked down at her dress to see a champagne colored shawl draped over her.

"It's almost time to start the opening dance." James finally pointed out and looked at her shawl politely inferring that she might want to get rid of it before she danced.

"Way ahead of you." Lily replied as an elf showed up.

James mouth dropped open as he saw her shrug her shawl off and then it went dry when she turned to hand it to the elf. His throat went dry as his eyes roved over her bareback. It reminded James of peaches and cream…his mouth watering to eat it…

"Oh my God." James was able to strangle out as the elf scurried away with her shawl and then again. "_Oh my God._" Before he could even think of what he was saying.

Lily turned so she could ask him if he was all right but the dance started up and she immediately put one hand on his shoulder while her other hand went to his hand.

James felt his fingers tremble as they went to rest on her waist and encountered skin.

"Are you alright?" Lily asked looking up at him concernedly with big eyes and rosy cheeks.

Dear God how could someone wearing something like that look so angelic? She looked seductive and innocent at the same time. Her eyes big with concern reminded him of a child but her full lips pronounced her to be a woman. James gulped and looked back to her eyes.

"You look beautiful." James said with such tenderness and feeling that even he was surprised.

Lily gave a small laugh hiding her uneasiness and the need to hug him. It was music to James ears. It sounded like the tinkling small fairy bells and the light in her eyes reminded him of the first ray of sunshine to break through the horizon. Aw hell he was getting all poetic now.

"I would be very disappointed to find out that my being beautiful is causing you to feel sick." She replied laughingly as James twirled her around the dance floor.

James grinned trying to get back into his element but damn that full mouth that begged him to place his own lips on it. "I'm just surprised." He ended.

Lily pretended to be offended. "Surprised that I'm looking so beautiful? I never knew I was that ugly." She shook her head teasingly. "Ah James have you lost your gift of speech? Where are all your flowery comments tonight?"

James didn't reply-thinking that all his flowery comments were busy stimulating another part of his anatomy rather than his brain- and just looked into her deep green eyes as if he had lost something and was trying to find it. Lily reverted her gaze and smiled at the people she knew who were watching her. The rest of the dance was spent in quiet contemplation-James staring at her hungrily contemplating the consequences of kissing her then and there, and Lily contemplating the repercussions of her running out in the middle of the dance for she couldn't bear being in his arms for so long.

James felt a twinge of disappointment when it finally ended and he had to release her. Then he suddenly felt a twinge of annoyance (at least he thought it was annoyance) in him as Lily was suddenly surrounded by admirers asking for a dance.

He turned before he could see who she chose and went back to Rosalyn. What had gotten into him? He felt something for Lily no doubt but he'd been so sure that what he'd felt for Rosalyn was…is…stronger…or was it? Had he simply been taken in by a pretty face? He looked up to see Rosalyn smile at him from her place across the room as she waited for him to come to her. She wasn't planning on coming to him….was that what attracted him to her? Because she wasn't dazzled by his charm and made him come to her? Because she knew how to play the game and she was the first one he'd actually met who knew how to play it? She was in essence the female version of himself….was that why he liked her, because he'd met his match? But before he could even think of answering all these questions he had reached Rosalyn and she was putting her arms around him and kissing him and then leading him onto the dance floor for a dance.

OooOOOOooo

"May I have this dance?" Sirius asked teasingly as he pulled Andrea towards the dance floor. Terry was dancing with one of his friends so Andrea complied with Sirius's request and let him lead her onto the dance floor. He pulled her into his arms and looked at her tenderly. His eyes reflecting all the love he had for her.

"Am I too late Ans?" he asked softly in her ear as they moved to the rhythm of the slow music.

Andrea felt her breath catch. "What do you mean?" she asked shakily pulling back to look into his eyes.

He looked into her eyes with hurt and regret. "I was such a fool. I took you for granted…I-" he looked away suddenly. "There's no excuse for what I did to you…no excuse at all but what I'm asking is am I too late for you? Is there any way we could try and again have what we had together?" he looked at her steadily and Andrea felt her throat constrict. He still loved her. It was there in his eyes and he was for once feeling the pain he'd caused her.

"I can't…won't do to Terry what you did to me." Andrea replied tonelessly. "He loves me."

"Do you love him?" Sirius pressed on bending his head to catch her eyes with his.

"Yes." Andrea said softly.

"Can you look me in the eye and say that?" Sirius pressed on.

Andrea looked up at him steadily. Her heart was breaking but she had to do this. "I love him Sirius." Andrea said with a shaky voice. "Nothing can change that."

Sirius suddenly grinned. "Liar. I can tell when you're lying. You only think you love him." He reached out a hand to move a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "God Ans…..I'm so sorry it took me so long to figure out what love really is…and now I hurt….and my heart aches for you. I thought you'd always be there but you started to slip from my fingers….and it just kills me that right now I can't take you into my arms and kiss you like I use to." He looked down into her eyes tenderly. "Please Ans...we had something together…..let's try and find it again. I loved you then and love you now and I will always keep on loving you no matter what. You're so perfect…when we were together I couldn't believe that someone like you would choose someone like me. It was almost too good to be true." He smiled at her ruefully. "And I blew it because of my cocky, arrogant selfish ways. It took a slap from my baby sister to actually knock some sense into me."

Andrea looked at him startled. "Cassidy slapped you?" she asked incredulously.

Sirius nodded. "You could say she knocked some sense into me. I'm just happy she didn't punch me but it made me stop and think. I've been trying to find a way to make you mine ever since." He sighed. "but I wasn't sure…..if you were happy with Terry….I didn't want to come between you two but you're not happy with him Ans." He insisted. "I can see it in your eyes. He's just your second choice. It's like drinking butter-ale instead of Butterbeer…they're almost the same but butter-ale doesn't give u the same warmth as the real thing…it doesn't taste the same….there's always something missing."

The song suddenly stopped but Sirius kept his hold on her. "Come back to me Ans." He whispered in her ear. "I miss you."

Andrea pulled back with tears in her eyes. A fast song started up so no one took any notice of the two if them "Didn't you miss me during the summer after fifth year? Didn't you miss me when we came back to school? Why now Sirius? Why now?"

Sirius looked at the ground. "Because I was 15 and stupid back then."

"Now you're 16 and too late." Andrea snapped before turning and leaving.

Sirius looked around to see that everyone was busy dancing. He then looked at Andreas retreating back. "I won't let you go that easily Ans." He whispered determinedly. "Not without a fight." And with that he proceeded to go and talk to Natalie. If anyone could help him she could.

OOoOOooOo

"So let me get this straight." Natalie said as they danced a waltz together. "You want me to help you get back with Andrea?"

Sirius nodded not looking her in the eyes.

"Why?" Natalie demanded. "Haven't you caused her enough pain?"

Sirius looked up with regret in his eyes. "I love her Natalie. I truly love her….not the love I felt for her when we were going out…this is…so much more…something stronger. I don't know when it started. It's been creeping up on me little by little and now I'm just consumed by these intense feelings for her. I can't help it. I was stupid…I was only 15….you'd be surprised how much a person can mature in even a few months." He pointed out as he twirled her around the dance floor.

Natalie looked away to look at Andrea and Terry. She sighed regretfully. "You're on your own Siri." She finally said. "I don't want to get in the middle of this. They look so happy together and Terry has eyes only for her…"

"Then find someone else he can get his eyes on." Sirius insisted. "He doesn't love her the way I do. He only thinks he loves her and she only thinks she loves him. They're both searching for love and they want it to be true so badly that they think it's true when it's not." He sighed. "Listen if for even one moment I thought Ans truly loved him I swear I'd leave the two alone. I want her to be happy even if it's another guy she's happy with but it's not really love Natalie. Please help me." He pleaded.

Natalie sighed wondering what she was getting herself into. "I'll try." She conceded before Sirius twirled her again around the Great Hall.

OoOoOoOoo

No matter how many guys Lily danced with she couldn't erase the feel of James fingers on her bareback where he'd held her as they danced. She couldn't forget the burning sensation of his smoldering eyes when he'd looked down at her after she took her shawl off but above all she couldn't stop feeling so suffocated. For once she was trying to enjoy herself and dancing with all the guys who had been after her for so long…but she still felt so alone and isolated…

"I do believe you haven't graced me with even one dance." A voice murmured behind her. Lily looked up to see Bryan staring down at her. She smiled up at him and felt some of her tension leave her as she placed one hand in his and they walked onto the dance floor.

It was a fast song and Lily smiled as she allowed the rhythm of the music to guide her steps. She then vowed to make the most of the rest of the night and not let thoughts of James affect her.

OoOOOoOoOo

"Natalie go dance with him." Andrea urged. Natalie looked uncertainly at a friend of Terry's whose name was Greg. He was standing beside Terry a few feet away from them.

"I don't know.." Natalie began uncertainly.

"Oh please don't give me all that rubbish about you not being interested in guys and you don't need a man to depend on. This isn't about needing a man it's about having fun! Go have some fun! All you've been doing is running around and making sure everything is in order."

"He hasn't even asked me Andrea!" Natalie pointed out.

Andrea laughed. "Go up to Terry and ask him if he likes the decorations for the ball. Greg'll ask you in a heartbeat. If he doesn't….you can come after my blood." She then pushed Natalie towards Terry's direction. "Now go!"

Natalie walked uncertainly towards Terry.

"Hey Terry." She finally said when she reached him.

He smiled and turned to greet her. "Hey Natalie how are you?"

"Fine." Natalie replied. She looked around the ballroom. "How do you like the product of my creative mind?"

Terry laughed. "Perfect. I couldn't have asked for a better last ball to attend at Hogwarts though when I was a prefect I did better decorations." He teased.

Natalie shook her head. "Modest aren't we?"

Terry shrugged helplessly. "The very model of modesty darling." He then glanced toward his friend Greg. "Hey do you know my friend here?" he pointed towards Greg.

Natalie nodded and smiled. "I know who he is." She said and smiled at him. He smiled back. "But I don't really know him on a personal basis."

"Oh well we have to fix that don't we?" Greg jumped in smiling at her. "You know over half the people in Hogwarts. How about adding me to your list?"

Natalie laughed as she took his offered hand. "Gladly." She replied and let him lead her onto the dance floor where they both began to dance.

Terry felt Andrea walk up beside him. "Aren't we the perfect matchmakers?" Andrea asked smugly.

Terry turned and smiled at her. "Darling I do believe we've spent all our time matchmaking and non dancing with each other." He pulled her towards the dance floor. "Come on I've only had two dances with you at the most."

Andrea arched an eyebrow. "More like 20." She retorted.

Terry shrugged. "Two…twenty…alas…even 200 would not be enough to curb my appetite for dancing with you."

Andrea just smiled and began to dance with him, reminding herself why she preferred Terry over Sirius.

Never Sirius.

Definitely never Sirius.

OoOoOooOoo

"Are you trying to grow a mustache?" Cassidy asked coyly as she and Remus stood in a corner of the ballroom. His hands were around her waist while her right finger was tracing the area above his upper lip.

Remus smiled wryly down at her. "You can tell?" he asked grabbing her finger and kissing it.

Cassidy giggled. "It tickles when you kiss me." Then as an afterthought she added. "I like it."

Remus grinned wolfishly at her. "Well then maybe I should do it again." He whispered huskily before bending down to kiss her on the lips this time.

"Well if it isn't wolf boy groping his girlfriend in a dark corner." Sneered a voice.

Cassidy and Remus looked up to see Severus Snape sneering at them.

"What do you want Snape?" Remus snapped.

"Nothing from the lot of you." He snapped angrily. "You were in on it Lupin weren't you? You all knew. You're all nothing but a bunch of stuck up, egotistical wankers who think they're better than everybody else." Snape suddenly caste a look towards Lily who was dancing with Sirius. "Even _her_." He said bitterly. "She's nothing but a stupid mudblood. I don't know why I went after her like some f-"

Snape found himself pushed up against a wall with Remus holding him by the neck of his robes.

"For your information-" Remus hissed. "-Lily is the one who saved your life. She is the one who saw you sneaking around the grounds and went to warn all of us." He let Snape go as if he was something vile. "If it wasn't for her you'd be joining me in the shrieking shack every full moon…if not worse." He hissed and turned on his hell dragging Cassidy along with him.

Snape stared at Lily again who was on the dance floor. He angrily stalked out of the ballroom without a backward glance.

OOoOOoOoOoO

"Having a nice time?" Jeffrey asked conversationally as he stared almost possessively at the deep V on Natalie's gown.

Natalie shrugged as she stacked all the clean cups near the punch bowl together. An elf was throwing away the used ones.

"I guess." She replied moving a stack of cups to the right.

"Especially with that Gryffindor seventh year." He said bitterly.

Natalie gave him a wry smile. "Which one? I think I've danced with quite a few."

"The one you were dancing with just now." He ground out crushing a paper cup in his hand.

Natalie turned to face him fully with a small smile on her face. "You mean Greg?" she asked brightly.

"Oh so it's 'Greg' is it? Next you'll be calling him Greggie." Jeffrey replied.

Natalie giggled. "Why Jeff I do believe you're jealous aren't you?"

Jeffrey looked at her guiltily.

"And yet-" she said cocking her head to the side. "-why should you be jealous? Shouldn't you be off with Shania in some dark corner or has she found new prey?" Natalie pretended to look around the ballroom. "Oh I think she's busy shoving her tongue down some hufflepuffs throat. Looks like you'll have to wait in line f-"

Jeff cut her off with a laugh and suddenly wrapped an arm around her waist to pull her towards him.

"If I didn't know better-" he said his blue eyes gleaming and their lips only inches apart. His gaze lingered on her lips as he continued, "-I'd say _you _were jealous."

"M-m-me?" Natalie squeaked extremely flustered by their closeness. "Why w-w-w-"

"Shhhh sweetheart." He murmured before closing the gap and kissing her.

Natalie had been kissed before but never like _this_-this fierce urgency with so much passion and raw hunger. Yet he was gentle making sure to send his message her way without being rough. She dizzily clutched the front of his robes feeling her knees buckle beneath her. Jeffrey kept her standing upright with both his arms around her waist to hold her up. His tongue plunged within her mouth and Natalie found herself responding. She heard a low growl emit from the back of his throat as her tongue battled with his. Never before had she experienced such a dizzy feeling of euphoria.

"Natalieeeee." He moaned into her ear. "As much as I love kissing you I think we're going to have to stop."

"Of-ofcourse." She said breathlessly. "Making out in front of the punch bowl was not on my agenda for tonight." She finally admitted once she had regained composure.

Jeffrey gave her a sideways grin as the people who had been staring at them ran off to tell everyone else. He then promptly reached out an arm to enclose it around her waist and pull it to her side.

Greg watched from afar with a little regret but turned to ask a fellow seventh year girl to dance.

oOoOOoOooOOooOo

It was the last dance of the night. Andrea was enclosed in Terry's arms, Cassidy was with Remus, and James was holding Rosalyn tenderly within his warmth. Natalie danced with Jeff and peered at her friends and then to where Lily was dancing with Sirius. He had her in his grasp which was in no way as intimate as the other four couples, rather his grasp could be called one of brotherly affection as Lily smiled up at him and he stared down at her affectionately.

Natalie and Jeff grinned at each other before murmuring an incantation. A few minutes before the dance ended there was a bright flash of light and everyone knew a picture had been taken of the Great Hall. The picture in turn promptly appeared on the huge wall that had been showing different pictures of the seventh years. The picture stayed there even when the dance broke up and Natalie announced to everyone that all the seventh years would get a free copy of the picture as well as an enlarged picture of them dancing with their partner, or doing whatever they had been doing when the picture had been taken, before they left Hogwarts. If the rest of the students wanted it then they would have to pay a fee of three sickles. For one galleon they could have the picture of just them dancing with their partner enlarged and given to them along with the normal picture. All they had to do was go to the respective Prefects of their year and house to write up orders.

With that the ball ended and was declared a success by everyone present.

OOoOOOOoOoO

"Well that was fun." Lily breathed happily as she lounged on Peter's bed with Andrea beside her.

The dance had just finished and everyone had gathered in the boy's dormitory for lack of nothing better to do and not wanting to go to sleep. They were still high on adrenaline and were not the least bit sleepy. Lily and Andrea were sitting on Peter's bed while Peter sat on the floor, resting his back against the side of his bed. He was facing Sirius's bed where Sirius was leaning back staring at Andrea contently and smirking because he knew it was making her uncomfortable. Remus and Cassidy were snuggled up on Remus's bed while James leaned back in a chair with his hands behind his head. Natalie was currently sound asleep on his bed.

"The nights still young." Sirius spoke up evilly from his perch on his bed.

"Not according to some people." James said staring at Natalie who had monopolized his bed.

"Let her sleep." Andrea replied. "She's been working really hard on this ball for us. No wonder she's so tired."

"I'm not tired." Cassidy spoke up.

"I doubt any of us are tired." Peter said wryly.

"Let's do something." Sirius said sitting up. "It seems a shame to end the night early."

James took out his invisibility cloak. "Let's go down to Fusion Alley." He said eagerly.

In a flash Natalie was sitting up on James bed. "None of you are going to Fusion Alley without me!" she exclaimed fiercely.

Everyone started to laugh. Fusion Alley was a place in London where wizards usually went to party. It was filled with clubs, bars and fancy restaurants.

"Tired eh?" Sirius teased looking at Andrea and then at Natalie.

"Sleeping beauty finally awoke." Remus teased. "How were we supposed to know it took the words Fusion Alley to wake you up instead of a kiss from Prince charming AKA Greg?"

Natalie turned red. "There's nothing between us and I wasn't sleeping I was just lying down with my eyes closed." She snapped.

"That's right." Lily said slyly. "But there is something between you and Jeffrey. A handful of people saw you kissing and it spread like wildfire through out the Great Hall."

Natalie turned a shade of red.

"What are we waiting for?" Cassidy demanded. "Let's go."

"How are we going to get there?" Lily pointed out. "We can't floo from here otherwise Dumbledore will know."

"Ah Lily you underestimate the marauders." Sirius said slyly. "We're going to sneak into Hogsmeade and the Hogshead is open 24/7. We'll slip the owner a few galleons, floo from his chimney and " he snapped his fingers. " we're in Fusion Alley."

"This sounds dangerous." Natalie said uneasily.

James laughed. "It's safe. We've done it tons of times." He said enlarging his cloak to fit them all. "The hard part is sneaking out of Hogwarts."

It took the group over 20 minutes to actually get out of Hogwarts. It was not easy for 8 people under one cloak to co-ordinate their walks so that they wouldn't bump into each other.

When they finally reached Hogsmeade they threw the cloak off and walked in the cool night. Lily felt the cool night air and shivered. Out of all of them she was the most scantily dressed. James noticed but hesitated unsure what to do. Nobody else noticed.

They were busy walking and laughing. Everyone's defenses were down which was most likely why Andrea snuggled into the crook of Sirius's arm. He suddenly scooped her up in his arms like a groom would scoop his bride up and spun her around. She shrieked but Sirius ignored her as he twirled her around and around before setting her down to enclose her in his warmth again. She looked at him with a smile on her lips and Sirius kissed the tip of her nose.

Lily suddenly shivered again and James again was the only one who saw it. Her hands were around herself and she rubbed her arms up down to get some warmth. She was trembling ever so slightly as her breath came out in small wisps of smoke. James cursed himself for hesitating. What the hell was he thinking? It was December and she was freezing-her flimsy shawl was not enough to stop the cold. He walked to catch up with her as she was in front of him and put an arm around her.

"It's not much." James replied moving her closer to him so she could get his warmth. "But it's better than freezing."

She was snuggled up underneath his arm. The arm James had around her had also lifted his black cloak from his side to enclose her in it as well. In actuality it was settled along his arm instead of her shoulders so that it would stay with Lily for as long as he kept his arm around her.

Lily snuggled deeper into the crook of his arm before sighing. "Thank you." She sighed liking the feel of herself encased inside of him. She tugged on his cloak a little bit so it covered her from the right side. "I didn't know it could be so cold."

James shrugged. "Don't mention it." He murmured enjoying the feel of her against him. He inhaled her scent. Lilies he thought ruefully. What else did he expect her scent to be?

They reached the Hogshead and the silent owner allowed them to use his fireplace. Unfortunately James had to release Lily from his hold for her too floo to Fusion alley but as soon as he arrived in Fusion alley his arm was around her again. Lily sighed in content letting him put his arm around her. It felt so nice….so safe…

As they emerged from the shop in Fusion alley they had flooed into everyone looked around with awe. They had only been to Fusion alley a few times because they were mainly underage for most of the clubs but they had come a few times like last year during Christmas.

"All right." Natalie said eagerly. "I say we go to Lights Out. I went there during the summer it was quite-"

"No." Sirius cut in mischievously. "We are not going to one of those clubs. We-" he pronounced importantly. "-are going to an adult wizard one."

"Whaaat?" Lily, Natalie and Andrea shrieked.

Cassidy laughed. "The Marauders have snuck in before." She explained. "Sirius and James snuck into one this previous summer. All you have to do is act confident. They won't ask for an ID then. Besides-" she added stepping away from Remus. "-we look old enough."

"Oh no!" Lily suddenly exclaimed. "We're not exactly properly dressed!" she exclaimed.

"Actually-" Sirius began. "-these clubs are different from muggle clubs. I know an adult one we could go to and won't be thought as overdressed." He said. "However it costs a bomb to get in."

OoOOoOoOOOoO

"Sirius I swear I could kill you." Lily hissed as she threw the invisibility cloak over herself, Peter, Natalie, Andrea and Sirius himself. They had all pooled their money together and ended up with a total of 30 galleons. Ten galleons per person meaning there was only enough money to pay for three people. Therefore those who looked under 17 or might give them away were to hide underneath the cloak. Remus being as mature as he was, was the first elected to pay for himself, James (because his calm head and quick thinking might come in handy) and Cassidy (mainly because they needed one of them to be female and she was Remus's girlfriend so if they needed to get mushy it wouldn't be a problem).

James and Remus would pretend to hold the door open for Cassidy but she would drop something giving the five people hidden in the invisibility cloak time to rush through the door.

"Hey you'll be singing a different tune in a few minutes." Sirius whispered back. "This club is great. The best part is all the songs in there…no one will hear them until like thirty years later sometime into the future." (A/N: Yes my explanation for the song that's coming up in this chapter haha)

"What?" Lily asked confusedly.

Sirius laughed. "The wizards who play in this club…they sell their songs off to muggle record companies when they become old. The companies in turn keep the songs and release them sometime into the future sung by some muggle singer." He replied. "Sometimes the record companies keep the songs under wraps for even more than 30 years. They just wait until the right time."

"Do they know it has already been sung by wizards?" Lily gasped.

Sirius shook his head. "More often than not they think some drunk made up the song and needed quick money so he sold the song."

Lily nodded and suddenly became alert as Remus held the door open and said in a carrying voice. "Come on dear."

"Oh no!" Cassidy exclaimed and knelt onto the ground. "I dropped my earring!"

The five took their chance and ran through the door nearly making James fall back onto his bum.

"Come on." Remus said exasperatingly. "You probably left it back at home sweetheart."

"Found it!" Cassidy squealed and walked through the door holding nothing but air in her hand.

Filing into the girls' bathroom the five sneak ins threw the cloak off.

"Why did we have to come into a girls' bathroom?" Sirius grumbled.

"Because there are more girls than boys here." Lily pointed out as she folded the invisibility cloak and handed it to Peter to shrink and stuff into his robe pocket.

"AHHHH!" a woman shrieked as she entered the washroom and saw Sirius and Peter there.

Both promptly left the room while the woman repeatedly hit them with her red handbag. When they finally exited she sniffed indignantly. "Well I never." She shuffled over and looked at the girls. "Were those boys giving you any trouble?"

"No ma'am." Lily suddenly spoke up.

"Yes my boyfriend and I just had an argument and he insisted on following me into the washroom." Andrea said weakly. "You know how men can be."

The lady patted Andrea's arm sympathetically. "I understand darling." She sighed. "They can be very persistent when they want to get their own way." She shook her head before entering a toilet to relieve herself.

The girls quickly touched up their makeup, smiled to the lady when she emerged from the toilet and left to go dance on the floor.

The moment Andrea emerged Sirius swept her onto the floor to dance with him. It was a fast song and he twirled her around before allowing her to dance to the beat of the music.

Natalie went to join Remus and Cassidy at the other end of the room. Lily and Peter made a beeline for the bar stools and sat on them. Lily chose a seat beside James while Peter sat on her other side.

Lily and Peter smiled at each other mischievously before spinning around on the bar stools a few times.

"Here I thought we were supposed to be acting maturely." James said wryly as Lily stopped spinning and sat on the barstool properly. A man sitting on the other side was looking at Lily disapprovingly. He then went back to his drink.

Lily stuck her tongue out at the man and then said gleefully. "Watch this." She threw a peanut at him. It flew across the bar, over the bartenders head who was too busy wiping glasses with a white cloth and landed in the mans drink with a small _plop_. Lily suddenly turned to look at James so that when he looked up he saw her chatting away with the boy sitting in front of her.

James shook his head. "Don't run to me when that guy comes after your blood." He said standing up and holding his hands up in defense. He then disappeared into the crowd. Lily looked at Peter and smirked at him.

"He's just being a spoilsport." She said nonchalantly. She felt free and uninhibited here. There was no one to judge her, no one to stare at her, no one to claw through her defenses and hurt her-which was most likely why she felt so loose and had her defenses down. Tonight she was Lily-the carefree, frivolous girl that was hidden away from the world.

Lily giggled and threw another peanut at the grumpy balding icky brown haired man. This time it hit him on the nose. This time Lily ducked so he wouldn't see her. A new song suddenly started up as Lily began to laugh at her supposed prowess.

_Come Mr. DJ song pon de replay  
Come Mr. DJ won't you turn the music up _

_All the gyal pon the dancefloor wantin some more what  
Come Mr. DJ won't you turn the music up_

"**Uh Lily." Peter said worriedly. **

_Come Mr. DJ song pon de replay  
Come Mr. DJ won't you turn the music up _

_All the gyal pon the dancefloor wantin some more what  
Come Mr. DJ won't you turn the music up_

"**What?" Lily asked from her position beneath the barstool. **

_it goes 1 by 1 even 2 by 2  
everybody on the floor let me show you how we do _

"**I think he knows you're the one throwing the peanuts." Peter said and gulped._  
_"Why do you think that?"**

_lets go dip it low then you bring it up slow  
wind it up 1 time wind it back once more _

"**Because he's coming this way!" Peter shrieked**

_  
Run, Run, Run, Run_

**Lily stood up and sure enough his eyes lighted with fire when he saw Lily emerge from her hiding spot.**

Everybody _move__ run_

**She stood up and ran into the crowd that was dancing to get away from him. Lord she'd never seen someone so angry. What if he was really drunk? **

_  
Lemme see you move and  
Rock it til the grooves done _

**She twisted and turned, making her way deeper into the crowd every now and then looking back to make sure the man was gone. _  
_**

_Shake it til the moon becomes the sun (Sun)  
Everybody in the club give me a run (Run) _

**She finally laughed thinking she was free of him when she looked back and couldn't see him. **

_  
If you ready to move say it (Yeah Yeah)  
One time for your mind say it (Yeah Yeah) _

**Walking forward Lily came face to face with the angry balding man. **

**SHIT!**_  
_

_Well i'm ready for ya  
Come let me show ya _

_You want to groove im'a show you how to move  
Come come_

**Lily quickly turned.**

"**Lily!" James called from behind in the middle of a throng of dancers, beckoning her to come join him. Lily ran towards him laughing as she evaded the man's grasp.**

**She ran towards him and James grabbed her by the waist twirling her around as the song pounded around them.**

_Come Mr. DJ song pon de replay  
Come Mr. DJ won't you turn the music up  
All the gyal pon the dancefloor wantin some more what  
Come Mr. DJ won't you turn the music up _

_Come Mr. DJ song pon de replay  
Come Mr. DJ won't you turn the music up  
All the gyal pon the dancefloor wantin some more what  
Come Mr. DJ won't you turn the music up _

**James set her down and looked behind her. He gave the man a quelling glance. In an instant icky-haired balding guy disappeared back into the crowd. Lily laughed and threw her arms around James, dancing close to him.**

_Hey Mr.  
Please Mr. DJ  
Tell me if you hear me  
Turn the music up _

_Hey Mr.  
Please Mr. DJ  
Tell me if you hear me  
Turn the music up _

**James pulled Lily closer to him smiling down at her affectionately. He'd never felt like this with anyone before…**

**Lily leaned into James and sang the song in his ear (**_It goes 1 by 1 even 2 by 2)_

**She pulled back and held her robes above her ankles as she continued to dance.**

_Everybody in the club gon be rockin when i'm through  
Let the bass from the speakers run through ya sneakers_**(she allowed James to grab her hand and twirl her around)_  
_**_Move both ya feet and run to the beat  
_

**James eyes suddenly widened when he looked behind Lily. Lily looked too. The icky haired balding man was back…with five other tough looking wizards. _FIVE!_**

_  
Run, Run, Run, Run  
Everybody move run _

**James grabbed her hand and began making his way through the crowd…. **

_  
Lemme see you move and  
Rock it til the grooves done  
Shake it til the moon becomes the sun (Sun)  
Everybody in the club give me a run (Run)  
If you ready to move say it (Yeah Yeah)  
One time for your mind say it (Yeah Yeah) _

**Lily began to laugh as James dragged her through the crowd. James smiled ruefully as well. This was quite an interesting predicament they were in. He then bumped into something solid and hard. Looking up he saw one of the five tough looking wizards. **

_  
You want to groove im'a show you how to move  
Come come _

**He turned to see the other four behind him. James gulped as all four cracked their knuckles. Lily suddenly ran forward towards the lone wizard, looked him straight in the eye- **

_Well i'm ready for ya_

**-and kneed him in the groin.**

_Come let me show ya_

**He fell to the ground in pain.**

_You want to groove im'a show you how to move  
Come come_

**She stepped over him with James's hand in hers. They both ran deeper into the crowd._  
_**

**Laughing Lily and James climbed the stairs to the top of the club where people usually just stood and looked down on the goings on of the dance floor. **

**Lily took her wand out and turned icky haired balding guy's hair into a rainbow colored afro. **

**James took his wand out and made huge pimples break out onto the five hit wizard's faces. All six of them suddenly began to itch and itched themselves into a frenzy. Lily laughed and James stared at her tenderly. She watched with delight as all six of the wizards ran out of the club. James suddenly pulled her tenderly towards him and they danced to the last words of the song(they had missed the rest because they had been so busy running).**

_Okay everybody get down if you feel me  
Put your hands up to the __ceiling_

_Okay everybody get down if you feel me  
Put your hands up to the __ceiling_

_Okay everybody get down if you feel me  
Put your hands up to the __ceiling_

_Okay everybody get down if you feel me  
Put your hands up to the __ceiling_

**Lily danced enthusiastically with James feeling uninhibited and free. She threw her head back allowing her hair to roll out of its chignon and tumble around her in glorious waves sensually moving with her every movement. James was enchanted. **

_  
Come Mr. DJ song pon de replay  
Come Mr. DJ won't you turn the music up  
All the gyal pon the dancefloor wantin some more what  
Come Mr. DJ won't you turn the music up_

**Lily laughed her eyes alight with fiery passion as she danced with James. She teasingly moved closer and then farther away and then closer again. She heard him groan when she moved away again. She sensually turned her back to him allowing her back to mold into his chest as she kept on dancing.**

_  
Come Mr. DJ song pon de replay  
Come Mr. DJ won't you turn the music up  
All the gyal pon the dancefloor wantin some more what  
Come Mr. DJ won't you turn the music up_

**As the song faded James wrapped his arms around her waist and brought her back closer to his chest and rested his cheek against her shoulder. **

"**You're amazing Lily Evans." He whispered in her ear causing her to shiver. **

Tenderly James moved her hair aside so it tumbled over her shoulder leaving her back bare. He rubbed his lips against the back of her neck as another song started up. The little fuzzy hairs on the back of Lily's neck stood up and James continued to rub his lips against them glorying in the feeling. His breath tingled her neck and Lily groaned as James's lips trailed down to her bare shoulder blades. She gasped as his tongue darted out to taste her.

"Prongs!" Sirius yelled oblivious to the passionate embrace he and Lily were sharing. "If you don't mind giving the whole club a free show of you and Lily er….snogging(if you could call it that)…. Then by all means continue."

Lily jumped away from him with a red face. James looked at his feet awkwardly before following Lily down the steps. On the bottom step Lily turned to look at him. James looked into her deep green eyes, let out a groan of longing and pulled her into him.

"Ohhhh so that's how it is." Came Andreas amused voice.

Lily groaned and buried her head further inside James dress robes. James laughed and kissed the top of her head and then leaned lower to kiss her cheek. He then cupped her chin bringing her face up. He stared at her lips…

"Let's go!" Peter suddenly said breaking the scene as he ran over to the group. "Those wizards these two lovebirds pissed off seemed dangerous. WE have to get out of here before they come back with more reinforcements!"

Everyone quickly agreed and made their way back to the Hogshead. From there they walked towards Hogwarts James arm never leaving Lily's shoulders.

When they reached Hogwarts grounds the invisibility cloak was thrown over them all and James insisted on Lily being beside him. She giggled as she meshed into his side while they walked, trying to co-ordinate their steps. James had his arms around her shoulders again. It was as if he didn't want to let her go. Like she was some sort of dream that had come to him and that she might disappear with the daylight.

Once they reached the safety of the common room James threw the cloak off everyone. Lily rubbed her eyes tiredly and it was all James could do to stop himself from kissing her cute pink lips. Instead he settled for kissing the tip of her nose murmuring good night and watching her walk towards the stairs. He pulled on his invisibility cloak to start folding it.

"What a minute." Cassidy said as James tugged his invisibility cloak towards himself. "Your cloak got caught in my bracelet." She reached out to unhook one of the small spheres that had gotten caught in a small snag in James's cloak. James leaned forward to help and pure hurt sliced through him as he saw Cassidy's bracelet. Lily had given his gift away….anger filled him and his eyes narrowed.

"_Your bracelet?_" he asked skeptically looking at it.

Cassidy unaware of what was going on was busy trying to untangle the sphere from the snag in James's cloak.

James lifted his head to look at Lily's back that had already reached the top of the staircase. If she had turned at that moment she would've been shocked by the look of pain mixed with anger in his eyes.

A/N: dun dun dunnnnnn lol… so wut's Jamsi boy gonna do now? First he tries to make it work with lily….then he finds himself fallin for rosalyn bc apparently she is well versed in the game of flirting….and then he falls for lily again…only to have his heart crushed into a million pieces..UNKNOWINGLY! see james here thinks lily gave his gift away…he doesn't know it's on temporary loan to Cassidy. So wut's gonna be his reaction 2morrow? Remember there is something VERY special abt this bracelet. It's important to James for some reason…..

Aiighht this was my FAVORITE CHAP! I have been dieing to write it for ages n ages…..I LURV this chappie,….n I hope u all enjoyed it!alrite plzzzzz remember to review! temme whatchya think n hey if u wanna see somfin special happen (e.g.lily slap james again! haha...) then just leave a review of whatcha really really wanna see happen n ill do my best to comply with ur wishes...unless ofcourse this wish goes against my plotline (e.g. james following lily up to her dorm and harry being born before his parents get married).


	16. Chapter 16:These emerald eyes

Disclaimer: ok I totally own nothing except for the plot…n im not even sure I own that….it's not like it's copy righted…any one can just up and copy it…but w/e. lol.

Oh yes and um The song in the previous chappie belonged to rihanna….and the song in this chappie belongs to Kelly Clarkson…behind these hazel eyes…I thought it suited the current situation of my story. I just tweaked it and replaced hazel eyes with emerald eyes cuz obviously lilys got emerald eyes.

00000000000000000000000000000

"WAKE UP LILY!" someone screamed.

Lily woke up with a start to see Sirius Black jumping on Andreas bed. James was leaning against the closed door that led into their dorm while Remus and Peter merely stood watching Sirius. Cassidy was sitting up in bed grumpily, Kayla was glaring at him and Andrea looked ready to murder him from her perch beside her bed.

"Next time make sure I am NOT ON THE BED before you do that!" Andrea roared. Her hair was in tangled knots and she looked like a deranged escapee from Azkaban with her fiery eyes. She muttered a curse and Sirius found himself in the body bind on Andreas bed.

Andrea looked at him satisfactorily….she then noticed the gleam in his eyes as he eyed her unbuttoned nightgown which showed a hint of her cleavage.

She turned to glare at James. "You know sometimes I wish you had never discovered how to get up into the girls dormitory!" she said angrily before undoing the hex on Sirius. James merely shrugged from where he was leaning against the door. Warning bells began going off in Lily's head. Something was up. The cool detached manner in which he was leaning against the wall, the cold look in his eyes….dear lord he was mad as hell at someone.

"You know Ans-" came the sly voice of Sirius Black. "-I wouldn't mind being body binded in your bed…provided that you are in it with me."

There was a tense silence before Andrea began screaming her head off.

"OUT! The lot of you OUT before I tell Dumbledore that you know how to get in here! GET OUT RIGHT NOW SIRIUS BLACK OR YOU WILL NEVER HAVE CHILDREN….EVER….AGAIN!" she screamed while pushing him out the door. She slammed it behind him with a red face and let out a huff as she leaned against the door.

Everyone merely stared at her. She straightened up under everyone's scrutiny.

"Yes well…..Happy Christmas." She said briskly , trying to regain her composure, before walking into the bathroom.

"Is…is she O.K.?" Lily asked gaping at the closed bathroom door.

Cassidy shrugged. "You know how Sirius gets to her and-" she hesitated. "-at least Remus woke me up with a kiss….Sirius jumped on her bed jarring the poor thing awake. She landed on the floor with a hard thud. I wouldn't be too happy if I were her either. Sirius is really starting to annoy her with his stupid flirtatious remarks."

Lily nodded feeling a small twinge of sadness that James hadn't tried to come greet her. She had thought that they might get back together after last night. He hadn't said so but she had expected him to get back with her. Lily shook her head. He was obviously mad at someone. Maybe that was why he hadn't greeted her. He was going to break up with Rosalyn today and then everything would go back to normal. Lily quickly stood up to wrap a robe around her nightgown and brush her hair.

The girls came down into the common room about 15 minutes later to see the marauders lounging around in the common room.

"Open my present first James." Peter said eagerly. "Now the girls are here so we can all open our presents together." It was a tradition that they never opened presents until everyone, who was staying back for the holidays, was present.

James raised an eyebrow at Peter, still in the oddly detached manner he had used upstairs. "Am I to assume that Natalie is not one of 'the girls'?"

"Oh." Peter said going red.

A laughing Natalie flew down the stairs. "I'm here, I'm here." She said laughing as a feather kept on tickling her ear. "Sirius stop this thing now!" she shrieked with laughter trying to run from the feather.

Sirius flicked his wand and the feather fell to the floor. They then proceeded to open their present's ohhing and aahing over each others presents and thanking each other.

Lily only had a couple more gifts to go when the portrait hole opened and Rosalyn came gracefully in with a light blue robe loosely tied over a long shirt that went to mid thigh. The gap between her night robes showed that her shirt was blue with white lambs on it. James gaze flicked appreciatively to her legs as she came to sit beside him.

"Happy Christmas babe." She said before kissing him on the lips.

Lily suddenly gasped unable to hide her surprise. Everyone turned to look at her and then at James. No one had missed the intimacy between them last night. How could he even think of kissing Rosalyn so passionately after last night?

James merely pulled back from Rosalyn and settled an arm over her shoulders. Rosalyn, oblivious to what was going on, rested her head on his shoulder.

"Did you open my gift yet?" she asked looking up at him adoringly.

James smiled at her tenderly, his cool demeanor melting. "I was waiting for you, love."

"Well open it!" Rosalyn exclaimed.

Chuckling James bent down from the couch to pick up a small square shaped gift wrapped in red wrapping paper with gold snitches flying on it. It was tied with a gold ribbon. He un-wrapped the gift and opened the small black box to see a watch staring back at him.

"Wow Lyn." He breathed slipping the watch on. It was silver and square shaped. It was simple with the hour hand, minute hand and second hand. The numbers however were not the standard 123 rather they stood out on the watch with a flourish as if they had been written in scroll writing, giving an elegant look to his watch. The 12 however, was not standing out as loopy scroll writing in silver-the 12 was a real diamond.

Rosalyn gently slipped the watch off and turned it over. On the back was engraved…..James eyes widened.

"Forever yours." She said out loud. "Just as I am forever yours." She murmured before kissing him again.

The couple did not notice Lily stand up and run into her dormitory. Everyone else did however. Andrea immediately stood up to go after her. Remus stopped her with a quelling glance. Cassidy whispered in Andrea's ear what Remus was trying to tell her.

"It will be more embarrassing for Lily if James realizes she left….and you had to go after her. This way it looks as if she went upstairs to get something."

Andrea drew her eyebrows together angrily but sat stock still watching the couple embrace each other. Cassidy nudged her trying to force her to go back to opening her presents. Andrea complied when James and Rosalyn began to pull apart.

Rosalyn stood up after thanking James for his gift (perfume).

"I better go get ready for breakfast." Rosalyn announced before turning to go back.

There was a silence as Rosalyn left and then Andrea opened her mouth to give James a piece of her mind. Lily suddenly came gracefully floating back down and Andrea switched her attention to Lily.

"Are you O.K.?" Andrea whispered as Lily sat down on the floor beside her.

Lily nodded and swallowed convulsively. "My eyes don't look red do they?" she whispered back as she opened her second to last present which was not from James but Petunia (an old sock).

Andrea shook her head. "Glamour charm?"

"You can bet your life on it." Lily replied as she opened her last gift. It was from Sirius. Lily gasped when she looked at it. Then she looked up at Sirius with tears in her eyes. "How'd you….?" She trailed off with wonder feeling a strong amount of affection for the man who was like the brother she'd never had.

Sirius shrugged nonchalantly. "Had some help from your mum."

Lily laughed. "She didn't even let on that she was up to something!"

She then lunged towards Sirius giving him a huge hug. Sirius wrapped his arms around Lily's back. "Hey all the boys are going to be so jealous of me. I actually got Lily Evans to hug me." He teased.

Sirius had given Lily a photo album….but not just any photo album. He had compiled pictures into it that started from as far back as when Lily had first started kindergarten. It showed Lily from her first day of school up till now. It had pictures of her friends, then and now; pictures of her happiest memories from then leading up till now. The last picture was (obviously) the one that had been taken last night at the ball. Sirius had haggled Natalie quite awhile back to make sure he got a picture of Lily dancing with him during the last dance before Christmas morning. However, Lily's favorite picture was one of all of them from fifth year during Christmas break. They had all gone to Andrea's house and the picture showed all of them having a snowball fight outside.

James felt a small twinge of jealousy as he saw Lily hugging Sirius so adoringly. He said quite nastily. "I wouldn't give Evans anymore gifts Sirius-she has a bad habit of giving her gifts away."

Lily suddenly stiffened in Sirius's arms. 'It's me' she realized. He's mad at me!

Pulling away from Sirius Lily stared at him squarely. "Just why do you think that Potter?" Lily asked angrily. She was not going to take this crap lying down. Where on earth had he gotten such a preposterous idea?

James looked at Cassidy and then at Lily and then back at Cassidy. "Cassidy would you mind telling everyone where you got that bracelet you wore last night to the ball?"

A block of ice suddenly formed in Lily's stomach. How dare he be mad at her for letting Cassidy borrow that bracelet!

"That bracelet-" Lily cut in shrilly walking towards him. "-is right here." She pulled the sleeve of her robe up so James could see the bracelet staring back at him-its orbs glowing against Lily's ivory skin.

James paled slightly but looked up at her adamantly. "So you took it back from her?" he spat.

Lily looked at him incredulously. "Of course I took it back from her! You didn't think I would let her keep it did you?" Lily demanded.

James stricken expression gave him away.

"Oh my God." Lily said weakly sitting down on a chair opposite from him. "You-you thought I GAVE her the bracelet?"

Lily wearily brought two hands up to her temples and began to massage them. "Bloody hell James-"she groaned closing her eyes. "-it matched her dress robes so I let her borrow it."

"It's true." Cassidy cut in. "James you can ask Remus even! He saw the bracelet too and I told him how Lily had let me borrow it for one night because it went with my robes."

Remus nodded when James looked at him. "She's right James." He said.

James paled realizing his mistake. He expelled a whoosh of breath. "Lily I am so sorr-" he began but Lily cut him off.

"Just forget it Potter." Lily said tiredly. She stood up and turned to walk up the steps to her dorm. "You all go down to breakfast without me." She called. "I'm not hungry."

The door to her dorm closed and everyone was on him.

"You arrogant-"

"PRICK! How could you-"

"She only let me borrow-"

"that damn bracelet-"

"what's so important about it-"

"that you have to go and-"

"you broke her heart you-"

"stupid git go after her!" Sirius finally ended for all of them.

James didn't need telling twice. He murmured he spell to make the stairs turn into a slide in slow motion and ran up the steps even before the first wail began.

"What do you want?" Lily asked not bothering to open the drapes around her bed as James entered.

"To beg for forgiveness?" James supplied wryly.

"You're forgiven-now go away!" Lily snapped.

James pulled the drapes of her bed aside to see Lily lying on her stomach with her head in her pillow.

"Lily-" he began sitting down on the side of the bed.

Lily sat up to stare at him.

"We both know I'm not forgiven." he stated. "Now-" he leaned down so that their lips were inches apart. "-I'm sorry. I didn't…"his breath caught in his throat as he looked into her deep emerald pools. He tried to plow on. "I wasn't thinking straight….I'm sorry….I'm sorry….I-I-was stupid….I-" He stumbled incoherently, suddenly realizing how close he was to her…and they were on a bed….and her full lips were mere inches away from him. "I'm sorry….I'm sorry…" he leaned closer mesmerized by her eyes and lips. Their lips were barely brushing against each other.

"I'm..."

Lily jumped back just before his lips melded with hers.

"No James." She said moving back to sit at the other end of her bed. She shook her head sadly. "No."

James suddenly shook his head, clearing his thoughts. Why could her eyes hypnotize him? They were like magnets….pulling him towards her….

"You….you're right." He finally ended unconvincingly.

Lily nodded. "You have Rosalyn." She said dutifully.

"I have Rosalyn." He repeated monotonously staring at her blue bedspread.

"And I won't ever let you get close again so you can break my heart…AGAIN."

"And you won't….whhaaaattt?" James asked disbelievingly, snapping his head up to look at her.

Lily nodded. "Good. I'm happy we have an understanding." She turned to go into the bathroom. "I've changed my mind. I think I'd like to come down for breakfast. Go on without me. I'll be there in a few minutes."

James sat stock still for a whole minute on her bed staring at the closed door of the bathroom. He then punched Lily's pillow in frustration. He had blown his chance with her…one too many times. Leaning down he smelled the scent of lilies on her pillow before leaving her dorm.

He never found out that Lily was crying in the bathroom instead of brushing her teeth.

_Seems like just yesterday  
You were a part of me  
I used to stand so tall  
I used to be so strong  
Your arms around me tight  
Everything, it felt so right  
Unbreakable, like nothin' could go wrong  
Now I can't breathe  
No, I can't sleep  
I'm barely hanging on _

Here I am, once again  
I'm torn into pieces  
Can't deny it, can't pretend  
Just thought you were the one  
Broken up, deep inside  
But you won't get to see the tears I cry  
Behind these emerald eyes

I told you everything  
Opened up and let you in  
You made me feel alright  
For once in my life  
Now all that's left of me  
Is what I pretend to be  
So together, but so broken up inside  
'Cause I can't breathe  
No, I can't sleep  
I'm barely hangin' on

Here I am, once again  
I'm torn into pieces  
Can't deny it, can't pretend  
Just thought you were the one  
Broken up, deep inside  
But you won't get to see the tears I cry  
Behind these emerald eyes

Swallow me then spit me out  
For hating you, I blame myself  
Seeing you it kills me now  
No, I don't cry on the outside  
Anymore...

Here I am, once again  
I'm torn into pieces  
Can't deny it, can't pretend  
Just thought you were the one  
Broken up, deep inside  
But you won't get to see the tears I cry  
Behind these emerald eyes

Here I am, once again  
I'm torn into pieces  
Can't deny it, can't pretend  
Just thought you were the one  
Broken up, deep inside  
But you won't get to see the tears I cry  
Behind these emerald eyes

A/N: Don't forget to r&r…n if u wanna see anything happen in my story leave it in the review…im already concocting plans to arrange the events in my story so that the requests being sent to me can be fitted in. Lol…yes as long as ur request doesn't clash with my plot (i.e….james storms back into lilys room and kisses her senseless) I will try to add it in. Someone requested that Lily should go out with someone to make james jealous/…lol yes this will happen…..another person has requested a dance off..yes I will also be incorporating that into my fic! So readers any more requests out there? I will gladly add them! Bc I so hate it when I want something to happen in a story…and the writer doesn't make it happen. I don't want any of you to feel that way…this story is only alive bc of ur reviews and input! So keep reading and reviewing. Also, any criticism? I wont explode….plzz if u see anything wrong with my work…do tell me.


	17. Chapter 17:First kiss

Days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months. Lily could look at old letters from Jeremey and not turn into a sobbing puddle while James put Lily completely out of his mind. He had Rosalyn and she was the best girlfriend a guy could ever want. She weaved a spell around him that James found himself falling deeper into. Damn she knew how to get a guy and make him stay. She knew all the tricks in the book. She was like a drug he couldn't get enough of. He had only felt like this once….and that had been when he'd been conversing with Lily through wizard net.

However Lily and James did not avoid each other….on the contrary, they were able to actually carry out decent conversations and engage in small talk if the occasion called for it. Things seemed normal and it seemed as if the rest of the year would be smooth sailing for the group of friends, but then in March trouble began to brew.

Rosalyn stalked determinedly towards the Gryffindor common room. She spied James sitting with his circle of friends. She also eyed Lily sitting there too. She walked towards James with tears in her eyes and stared at him accusingly. James who had been laughing at something Sirius had said suddenly turned serious and stood up when he saw the tears in her eyes.

"Lyn, baby what's wrong?" James asked concernedly as he reached out a hand to wipe away her tears.

"Don't touch me." She hissed and slapped his hand away and then she looked at Lily. "Oh Lily I'm so sorry!" she wailed and went to sit beside her.

Lily looked at her oddly. "What's wrong?" Lily asked bewildered as Rosalyn began to sob.

"I didn't know Lily. I swear I didn't know! I was new to the school…I didn't know that you and-and him-" she pointed at James angrily. She then looked at Lily helplessly. "Please don't hate me Lily. I didn't know that you two had a thing going on." Rosalyn said pathetically. Lily and James both suddenly understood what Rosalyn was getting at.

"Oh Rosalyn." Lily said shaking her head and hugging the girl. "I don't hate you."

"But I-I-if it wasn't for me you'd still be with James…you two had just started going out when I entered the picture…I feel so guilty!" she wailed into Lily's shoulder.

"There's nothing to feel guilty about." Lily assured as she patted Rosalyn's back. "Dear you and James were meant for each other. It's quite clear to everyone who looks at you two. Me and James….please…it was just a passing fancy and we would've ended sooner or later. In fact-" Lily said pushing Rosalyn away so Rosalyn could look Lily straight in the eye. "-I have you to thank for saving me from a lot of heartbreak. I'm sure that if James and I had stayed together we would've gotten extremely attached….making it all the more harder to finally break up when we realized that we were not meant for each other. Right, James?" Lily asked briskly looking up at him pointedly.

"Right." James said quickly and bent down to squeeze Rosalyn's hand.

Rosalyn looked up at him accusingly. "You left Lily for me…you're…an unfaithful sod!" she exclaimed jumping up to face him. "How do I know you won't leave me for some other pretty face sometime in the near future?"

"Rosalyn." James managed to say in a hoarse voice. "How could you ever think I'd do something like that?"

"You did it to Lily!" Rosalyn screamed. "And you never even TOLD me. I had to find out from my gossiping room mates!"

"I didn't tell you because it wasn't important." James said gently.

"Yes he's right." Lily said earnestly even though she felt her heart breaking all over again. Wasn't important? Two years on wizard net and it wasn't important?

"We weren't even in a relationship…we weren't even attracted to each other…we just wanted to see where we'd end up." Lily explained. "It's different between you and James."

James nodded and squeezed Rosalyn's hand. Rosalyn looked at Lily.

"Are you sure you don't…..still feel anything for him?" Rosalyn asked. "I can't bear to think I came between you and him. You're so nice Lily, always helping me out with things I have trouble understanding in class and you're always there to help me."she wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "I feel like such a bitch."

Lily tsked and smiled at Rosalyn. "What I feel for James now is nothing stronger than what I might feel for Sirius or Remus….in fact..."she mused. "I think it's even weaker than that…I consider Remus and Sirius better friends." She assured. "There are no left over feelings between James and myself." She assured.

"Are you sure?" Rosalyn asked anxiously.

Lily smiled reassuringly. "Yes I'm sure…now I think James has some making up to do with you so go spend some time with him."

"Oh Lily you're one of the nicest people I know." Rosalyn gushed. "And I'm so happy to call you my friend." She gave Lily a huge hug before going off with James.

Lily sunk back down onto the couch feeling mentally strained.

"You O.K.?" Andrea asked sympathetically.

"Yea." Lily murmured looking at her hands. She then looked up at Andrea. "I just can't help wanting…." She trailed off.

"Wanting what?" Andrea prodded.

Lily hesitated before responding. "Wanting to fall in love again. I want to experience that thrill again. I want to have someone that I can trust completely."

Andrea smiled. "Does that mean you're ready to start dating boys?"

Lily smiled weakly. "Maybe."

OOooOOooOOo

"Why-" James gritted out. "-does he have his hands all over here?"

Cassidy looked at James from her place beside him and then to where he was looking. He was looking at Lily sitting a little ways down the lunch table beside Terry's friend Derek. Derek had his arm over her shoulder and his cloak was draped around her.

Both had their heads bent together and were laughing.

Cassidy looked back at James. "I thought you'd be happy that she's moving on."

"I-am." James gritted out unconvincingly. "That still doesn't explain why the git has his hands all over her."

Cassidy shared a look with Remus and went back to her food.

"I know him." James muttered. "And there's only one thing he wants from Lily. He's not interested in her personality he's-"

"James I can see no reason whatsoever why all of this should concern you." Cassidy cut in.

James looked at Cassidy oddly. "She's my friend Cass." He said softly. "I'd react the same way if you or Andy were with the wrong guy. And Lily she's-" he looked back at her. "-she thinks she can handle herself but she can't. She's so innocent." He looked at her tenderly as Derek whispered something in her ear making her blush.

James suddenly stood up-a blushing Lily meant a perverted Derek just like it had meant a perverted James a few months ago. He walked over top the two of them and sat down across from them.

"Hey Derek, hi Lily." He said brightly.

Both of them startled out of their own world looked up to see James sitting across from them. Lily greeted him awkwardly, unsure why he'd come to sit here.

"So how's everything going? Ready for the Quidditch game?" James asked energetically.

"We should be asking you that." Derek pointed out not bothering to hide his annoyance at James for interrupting them.

"Oh I'm ready. Can't wait." James said quickly.

"Alright well we'll see you there." Lily said cautiously, wondering what had gotten into James.

"Yes." Derek said eagerly suddenly standing up. "We'll see you there. Come on Lily let's get a head start and walk towards the Quidditch pitch together."

Lily shrugged and stood up. The front part of her hair was tied into a small pony tail while the rest was left open to hang around her in a luxurious mass of red and gold silk.

James watched them leave wondering whether he should tail them secretly. Just when he'd decided to do exactly that Remus stopped him and made him sit back down with one hand.

"Stupid werewolf strength." James muttered.

Remus looked at him disapprovingly and James realized Remus was quite angry.

"Do you know what you are doing James?" Remus asked crisply not bothering to hide the anger in his eyes.

James looked at the table forlornly. "It's just not right Remus that she-"

"That she what?" Remus cut in angrily. "That she move on? That she get over James Potter who dropped her for 'the new girl'? James you can't have Lily AND Rosalyn." Remus stated.

James looked up quickly. "_No _I don't want Lily _and _Rosalyn I just want-" he stopped and said slowly almost as if convincing himself. "-I want Rosalyn."

"Then why do you have a problem with Lily spending her time with someone else and trying to get over you?" Remus snapped. "You're acting like a spoiled child who wants a piece of chocolate cake and vanilla cake just for the sake of it. The chocolate cake he'll eat up but the vanilla one will be left sitting alone to rot and be thrown in the garbage. Is that what you want to happen to Lily?" he demanded.

"No!" James said desperately. He then groaned. "I don't know what's gotten into me. It's just I keep on thinking of her with someone else…and it hurts." He said weakly.

"You don't think it hurt Lily when she saw you with Rosalyn?" Remus asked gently.

James sat stunned for a minute.

"You're right." He said slowly.

Remus shook his head. "You've made your bed James. Now lie in it. Is it Rosalyn you want or Lily? Or are you still undecided?"

"Rosalyn." James said with conviction. "It's Rosalyn all the way. It's just…I can't help but feel some sort of protectiveness towards Lily." He glanced at the doorway through which she had left with Derek. "It's weird….I just don't want anyone to hurt her."

Remus smiled knowingly. "None of us want anyone to hurt her James." He said gently. "But she can take care of herself. Let Liz go. Get over it. Move on. You have Rosalyn now."

James nodded. Right he had Rosalyn? He didn't want Lily. She could keep her becoming blushes, angelic smiles, seductive eyes and tempting silky red hair to herself. He had Rosalyn with her…._PURPLE HAIR_?

James eyebrows rose nearly into his hair when he saw Rosalyn walk in with dark purple hair.

"What have you done to your hair?" he breathed when she came to sit beside him.

Rosalyn took a bite of toast before replying. "I dyed it, that's all. I'll dye it back tonight if you don't like it." She shrugged. "I just wanted to see how it would look."

James shook his head and twirled a purple strand in his hand. "Have you ever thought of dying your hair red?"

Remus promptly coughed into his orange juice.

Rosalyn merely nodded before swallowing her toast. "I've tried." She admitted. "I wanted to try and dye my hair the same color as Lily's. It is rather a…unique color." She shrugged her shoulders. "Too unique in fact. I couldn't get the color right."

She missed Remus's satisfied smile or James regretful sigh as she poured herself some orange juice.

oOOoOOoOoOoOOoO

James walked onto the Quidditch pitch with his team contemplating what Remus had said to him. Remus was right….Lily deserved to live. He still couldn't get the words she'd said to him out of his mind.

"_And I won't ever let you get close again so you can break my heart…AGAIN"_

James shook his head to clear his thoughts and got ready for the game.

OooOOOOooO

"I knew you could do it babe!" Rosalyn yelled as he twirled her around after they're big win. Gryffindor had just won the Quidditch cup. He quickly pulled Rosalyn onto his broom as he held the Quidditch cup in his hands. The Gryffindor team took a victory lap around the Quidditch pitch and Rosalyn held on tight to James' waist. Her hair was again died black and long and it flew around her face as she laughed. James caught Terry's eye and threw the trophy to Terry. Terry caught it expertly. James then turned so that he was facing Rosalyn.

"What happened to your trophy?" Rosalyn asked staring at James' empty hands.

James smiled and wrapped his arms around her. "It's right here." He murmured and kissed her on the lips.

"Five points from Gryffindor and Hufflepuff for Public display of affection!" McGonagall screamed.

"Aw come on Professor." Peter, who commented on the games, yelled. "Let the Hogwarts Sweethearts have a little fun."

And thus it became official. James and Rosalyn were now known officially as Hogwarts sweetest couple.

OOooOOoOOOOoO

James was tired. His whole body ached from the rough Quidditch match he had played that morning. It was late night and he was sneaking out of his dorm to go to the Prefects bathroom so he could take a nice hot relaxing bath. He threw the invisibility cloak over him as he walked down the steps and then stopped walking altogether when he was halfway into the common room and heard Lily speak.

"Good night Derek." She said from her spot beside him on the couch in front of the fire. She reached the steps before Derek grabbed her and turned her around.

"No kiss good night?" He teased bringing her into his arms.

Lily hesitated before giving a fake laugh. She kissed him on the cheek before trying to turn to go up the steps. Derek tightened his hold on her. Lily turned to look at him and James saw the expression on her face. She was terrified.

James tensed ready to beat the crap out of Derek if he so much as tried to force Lily to hold his hand.

"Lily." Derek said seriously leaning his forehead against hers and bringing her closer to him. "Am I that repulsive?"

"I…don't know what you mean." Lily ended hesitantly.

"You know what I mean." Derek said sadly. "You don't like me do you? And here I thought I must be quite attractive to have Lily Evans say yes to being my girlfriend."

"I don't remember saying yes." Lily replied almost haughtily.

"Let's just pretend you did say yes." Derek said mischievously and tried to kiss her on the lips. Lily turned her head so that his lips landed on her cheek.

"Lily…" he murmured against her cheek. "…why are you scared of me kissing you?" he asked gently. "I swear I'm not a bad kisser….at least I don't think I am." He added jokingly.

Lily broke down. She pulled out of his grasp.

"Derek you may not be a bad kisser but I don't even know if I'm good at it or not!" she finally burst out as if she had been holding it in for too long. She then let out a whoosh of air from her lungs. It felt good to finally get that off her chest.

Derek stared at her thunderstruck. James was thankful for the invisibility cloak because the look on his face was one of comical shock. Lily Evans had never been kissed. Surely she had had a boyfriend or two, but no wait, she hadn't ever been involved with anyone as far as he knew except for himself…and then he felt his heart clench painfully as the pit of his stomach dropped.

_Oh my God_. How could he expect her to have _ever _kissed anyone? She hadn't had a boyfriend even in third year and in fourth year there was Jeremy and…_Oh my God…she had wanted her first kiss to be from him…oh my God…NO!_

James stepped back almost as if that would chase away the thoughts going through his head and swallowed convulsively. He felt his heart constrict painfully as the truth came crashing down on him. _What had he done? _It hurt….it hurt so much….and to know that it had been his own stupidity to lead to this hurt…he ached for her….for what she must have gone through. Every fiber of his being ached to slip out of his invisibility cloak, take her in his arms and beg for forgiveness over and over again. She had loved Jeremy with all her heart and _what had he done?_

"You've never….never…."Dereks voice croaked out.

In spite of herself Lily felt tears forming in her eyes. "I know it's pathetic!" she yelled out miserably. "It's pathetic…but before I had been…I was involved with someone over wizardnet…and then-"

"What about James Potter? You two had something going on for awhile…don't tell me that even he didn't…"

Lily shook her head looking at the ground miserably.

"He didn't want to rush me and…and every time he tried to kiss me I'd just get scared that I was going to be AWFUL at this whole kissing thing. He's kissed so many girls and what if I was just awful at kissing?" Lily put her head in her hands. "I'm so pathetic."

James kicked himself mentally….how could he not have noticed? Her uncertainty wasn't about kissing _him_; it had always been about kissing-she had been scared that she wouldn't have been able to please him. James felt like the biggest ass in the whole world. He should've pushed her like Derek was doing now….he should've..

"You're not pathetic sweetheart." Derek said gently interrupting James' thoughts.

He kissed her forehead. "You're beautiful-" he kissed her eyelids."-amazing," he kissed her nose. "-intelligent-" he hesitated when he reached her lips.

James clenched his hands into a fist. He _did not want_ Derek to kiss Lily. He did not…

Lily clenched the front of Derek's robes and Derek kissed her gently with just his lips. Ever so slowly his left hand came up to undo the clutch around Lily's hair so that it came tumbling down. He groaned as his hands drowned in her long hair. The kiss was deepened.

"Go slow Lily." He murmured against her mouth in a half groan. "You're moving your tongue too fast…slow down." He then resumed kissing her.

Lily whimpered scared of all the emotions that were taking over inside of her. Her heart was beating faster than it ever had and her mind was a whirlwind of incoherency. Instinctively she pushed herself against Derek's tall form and with an ardor she hadn't known she possessed, continued to kiss Derek. Lily allowed her hands to roam over Derek's back and she felt him shudder in her arms. Lily suddenly felt immensely pleased with herself that she was able to bring out this kind of response from Derek. Derek groaned as he pulled away from her.

"You were scared of being bad at kissing?" he said looking at her incredulously. "Lily you're doing things to me no simple kiss has ever been able to do."

Lily blushed and buried her head in his shoulder. "So I'm not bad?" came her muffled voice.

Derek chuckled. "You're wonderful at it….you want to see the proof?" he teased pressing her even more closely against him. Lily blushed as she felt _exactly_ what she was doing to him. Derek chuckled intimately pulling her even closer to his form.

Lily slapped his arm and Derek hugged her tighter. "Stay with me awhile longer." He murmured into her hair.

Lily shook her head. "I need to get some sleep. I have a huge test tomorrow."

Derek sighed and let her go. "Go before I decide to tie you to that couch over there." He said jokingly. Lily smiled at him before trying to kiss him again.

"No, no." Derek said laughingly. "If you kiss me again I don't think I'll be able to let you go."

Lily looked at him blushingly before turning to leave.

Derek smiled and went back to his own dorm.

James could not understand the tears that were running down his face.

A/N: so yea I think a lot of your requests were fulfilled in this chappie..haha lily made james jealous AND james watched them snog….not just any snog…LILYS FIRST SNOG. Haha

Hmmm a lot of pple are calling james a prick and whatnot…but I swear he's not a prick! Lol. He's actually a pretty good guy….and to quash any speculation…no rosalyn did not use a love potion on james.

He just got taken in with the whole glamorous girl thing. I know a lot of girls out there can relate to what lily's going through…ur with a guy…n he just ups and leaves u for some bimbo. N then we all hope that later he realizes what an ass he is and that he'll come back. Haha. This is why I chose this plot./it's something similar to what happens in real life. N u cant really blame james….he's only 16 for crying outloud….n lets remember how reserved lily always used to be around him. He doesn't know the real lily yet…..he cantr find the Liz he thought was lurking inside Lily.

As the story progresses he's going to get to know lily even better and finally realize what he's been missing out on.

There's the girl who can play the game….n play it smart….n keep a guy longer than most girls cuz of that. She's not clingy, she's not demanding…in other words…she KNOWS how to handle guys.

Then there's the one girl who doesn't know all that. Who is just herself….who doesn't hide her feelings and shows her feelings sincerely and truthfully. She doesn't know how to hide them or how to wrap guys around her finger.

Rosalyn is girl number 1…im not saying that kind of girl is bad…I WISH I was that kind of girl..lol.

Lily is girl number 2.

Being with girl number 1 doesn't mean u r in love with her though…eventuially you will break up with her (unless you truly are in love with her and are compatible but im talking abt james here) .

James is going to realize how special Lily is….and Lily is going to be able to keep him without knowing all the tricks in the book. She's going to be able to keep him through her unaffected warmth and sincerity. She's not going to try to wrap him around her finger because he will gladly wrap HIMSELF around her finger.

…..but that's not gonna happen yet. Lol. We still got a little ways to go before that happens. But the point is…don't think James is a dick. He's merely being drawn into Rosalyn's tactics. She's experienced and knows how to handle men….it's not James fault that he's falling for her. Besides cut him some slack…he's a 16 year old teenage boy.

Plz review! Any more requests? Im open to them! I love fitting them into my story! N hopefully it's improving my story! I have the next chappie half way done…more reviews-faster updates (wink wink).


	18. Chapter 18:The undead Owl n water fights

The next day James sat sandwiched between Sirius and Remus for breakfast.

"Prongs you look like that piece of toast just murdered your Owl." Sirius spoke up looking at James glum expression. "Is everything alright?"

"Huh? Yea everything's fine…." James trailed off and continued to look at his toast forlornly. Why couldn't he let go of Lily? Why couldn't he put her out of his mind? He'd never had the same problem with other girls…but those were other girls, this was Lily.

Sweet, innocent, daring, seductive Lily. James shook his head ruefully as he thought about how each word he used to describe her blatantly contradicted one another. She was like a rainbow with strikingly different colors to her personality but they all melded neatly together to form the perfect product. Aw hell he was getting all poetic again over her. Well she was out of bounds now. She belonged to Derek so no use crying over spilt milk.

The signal for end of breakfast rang. James got up and trudged to his class still looking like his pet owl had died.

OOoOOOOooOOOO

"James, your pet owl didn't die by any chance did it?" Lily asked worriedly as they sat next to each other in potions. The Professor was telling everyone to form pairs for making the next potion.

James looked up startled out of his thoughts. He had fervently been trying to ignore the fact that Lily was sitting beside him. Lily who he had witnessed having her first kiss last night. Lily who, if he had been the one, he would've kissed with a slow, teasing motion as she discovered the thrills a first kiss brought. He would've held her tight as her legs buckled beneath her and hushed her whimpers with a reassuring hand on her back and a gentle, loving mouth murmuring words of endearment over and over again as his other hand buried itself in her alluring, fiery red ha-

"James!" Lily said loudly.

"Huh?" He asked confusedly still trying to come back to earth.

Lily tsked. "Well I hope you're happy. Your daydreaming has the both of us stuck together for this project. I had quite hoped to get Remus as my partner." She shot Remus a dirty look who merely winked at her as he put a possessive arm around Cassidy's waist.

"Traitor." She whispered, rolling her eyes. She then turned to look at James who had been staring at her hair…drooling. Snapping her fingers in front of his face brought him back to life.

"Huh?" he asked again.

"Sirius was right." She murmured getting her Potion ingredients out. "How'd he die by the way?"

"Who?" James asked blankly.

"Your owl." Lily asked gently not wanting to upset him.

James gave her a blank look. "When did my owl die?"

Lily turned away from him for a minute to borrow a beaker from Peter who was sitting behind them. She then turned back to James and asked gently.

"Didn't your owl die?"

James who had been feasting on her hair again was snapped out of his reverie. His only response was-"Huh?"

Lily could not be blamed for insisting that James visit the hospital wing _immediately_.

OOOOOoOOOOooOOO

_Stupid, stupid, stupid_ James said to himself over and over again in his mind. He had Rosalyn, why couldn't he get Lily out of his mind? He just had to get over her. There was nothing interesting about her. Aw hell she was more interesting than watching a Rhino and Hippo do the tango! Why was it though that he had never noticed when he was with her? Why had he never appreciated her laugh and smile or the way she exuded unaffected warmth? Why?Why?Why?

James shook his head and looked down at his hands as he sat in the common room that night. He still had feelings for Rosalyn…but it just…he felt so guilty for what he had done to Lily. He shouldn't have done what he did and now he was paying for it. Yea, that's it. He was merely guilty.

James suddenly smiled when he saw Rosalyn enter the common room. She didn't come to him however. She made a beeline for Natalie and talked to her about something. Natalie in turn got a book out of her bag and gave it to her. Rosalyn then turned to leave. She hadn't even asked about him from what James could tell.

James waved at her and called out her name. "Rosalyn!" he called. Rosalyn turned, saw him, smiled and waved. He beckoned her over. Rosalyn walked towards him hesitatingly, almost cautiously.

James looked at her blankly as he pulled her down onto the couch beside him and kissed her temple.

"I haven't seen you all day." He said, resting his cheek against her temple.

Rosalyn shrugged. "You seemed kind of…preoccupied." She ended. "I didn't want to disturb you."

James laughed. "Sweetheart you're a welcome distraction. Feel free to disturb me whenever you please."

"You didn't wait for me in the corridors either." Rosalyn said almost accusingly but suddenly mellowed down. "But I understand. You must have had more important matters on your mind."

"Ahhh." James said understandingly. "I have a feeling you're a bit miffed at me."

"No I'm not." Rosalyn said very unconvincingly. "You had other things on your mind more important than me-"

James chuckled. "I'm sorry for being such a prat but I was a bit preoccupied over something all day today. Sorry." He added.

"Oh you don't need to say sorry James." Rosalyn said shaking her head. "I'm not going to fly off the handle just because you're not being the ever attentive boyfriend or something."

"But I should be shouldn't I." James said teasingly. "Aren't boyfriends supposed to wait on their girlfriends hand and foot?"

Rosalyn snorted. "If only." She muttered and then said in a louder voice. "James I know your life doesn't revolve around me and only me and I don't expect it too."

James smiled widely. He had the best bloody girlfriend in the whole world.

OOoOOoOOooOOoOOO

The next day at breakfast James sat with Rosalyn, his arm slung over her shoulder casually. He had given himself a proper talking to last night. He had Rosalyn. She was beautiful and glamorous and not the least bit clingy! He should start paying more attention to her and stop feeling so guilty over Lily. He merely stamped down the small twinge he felt when he saw Lily holding hands with Derek. He just didn't think about it. Easy as pie. Just don't think about Lily holding Derek's hand, Derek holding Lily in his arms….James suddenly stiffened and let out a small groan. Trying to NOT think about it eventually LEAD to thinking about it.

OoOoOOOoOo

"James they're beautiful!" Rosalyn squealed when she saw him waiting in the corridor for her to walk her to her next class. He held a bouquet of pink roses in his hands. Rosalyn took them and smelled their refreshing scent.

"Thank you." She said looking up at him tenderly and kissing him on the cheek.

"Always a pleasure." James replied grinning down at her.

James had finally made a decision. He was soooo over Lily. He was definitely over her. He was going to stay with Rosalyn and be soooooo over Lily. When he heard Lily laugh he would think about Rosalyn's cute smile. When he saw Lily's hair he'd…console himself with the fact that Rosalyn's hair changed colors practically everyday. When he saw Lily with Derek…his smile faltered as he saw Lily walking down the hall with Derek. Derek had his hand on the small of her back as the couple confidently walked through the halls.

Well when he saw Lily with Derek he'd…his smile faltered...when he saw Lily with Derek he would…..

"James are you listening to me?" Rosalyn asked as she looked down at her flowers.

"Huh?" Asked James.

"I said-" James suddenly cut her off and kissed her.

James had a very satisfied smile on his face as he walked towards his next class. He didn't need Lily when he had Rosalyn. Every time he thought he needed Lily he would remind himself how wonderful Rosalyn was.

Needles to say in the following month James got more points taken off for Public Displays of Affection than any other student.

OOoOOoOoOoOooo

"Stop it." Lily said playfully as she swatted Derek's arm away from her arm. He was continuously trying to pull her towards him and steal a kiss from her. They both sat in the library _trying _to do their homework.

"Li-ly." He whined trying to pull her towards him again. "I'm tired of studying."

Lily looked at him pointedly. "Your NEWTs are only two months away. If I were you, I'd be studying rather enthusiastically right about now."

"That's cause you wouldn't be able to think of anything else to do as enthusiastically." He leered at her. "I can." He reached an arm out and Lily swatted it away again as she felt the pit of her stomach drop rather pleasantly. It felt good to have a boyfriend-to have someone look at her the way Derek was looking at her right now, as if she was the most beautiful thing in the world.

Lily was jerked out of her thoughts as Derek suddenly pulled her into his arms and kissed her. He pulled away from her and Lily hissed vehemently, "We're in the library!"

"So?" he asked chuckling. "I'm not ashamed-I'm in love."

Lily suddenly stilled and then pushed him away gently.

"Don't you have anything to say to that?" Derek prompted looking down at her expectantly.

Lily looked down at her hands for a minute before murmuring-"That's nice…"

OOoOOooOOOoOo

"That's _nice_?" Natalie asked incredulously as she sat in Lily's dorm. "He tells you he loves you and you say _that's nice?"_

"Well I don't love him back!" Lily exclaimed defiantly. "I couldn't lie to him! Besides even if I did love him and I told him he'd just use it against me like-" Lily suddenly bit her lips and looked away.

"Like James?" Cassidy prompted gently from her perch beside Lily.

Lily merely shook her head. "I will never, ever let another boy close to my heart again. I don't think I could handle the heart break a second time."

"_That's nice?_" was all Natalie could repeat again and again.

OoOOOoOOO

Lily was walking towards lunch when she heard someone call her name. Turning around Lily saw James trying to catch up with her. She patiently waited for him and smiled when he reached her.

"Hey." Lily said and smiled at him.

"Hey Lily." James replied warmly as he looked into her deep emerald eyes.

They began walking down the hall together. Lily asked how his day was going and James replied in the negative. Upon further inquiry it was learned that Professor Vector was an evil wizard who was plotting to rot his student's brains using the weapon of utter boredom. Lily giggled at his quip and then heard someone touch her elbow lightly.

Turning she saw Derek standing beside her, smiling down at her tenderly.

Lily smiled up at him and greeted him. Derek said hi to her and then acknowledged James with a nod of his head.

"Hey, love, can I talk to you in private for a minute?" Derek suddenly asked turning serious.

"Sure." Said Lily uncertainly. She turned to look at James. "I'll see you in the Great Hall then?"

James shrugged. "All right then." He said trying to clamp down the green eyed monster within him. What did they have to discuss that was soooo private?

"What's up?" Lily asked turning to look at Derek as James walked away.

"Well first of all-" Derek began and then swooped down to kiss her. He pulled back and looked at her lovingly. "-that's how you say 'hey'."

Lily merely shook her head. "You're just looking for an excuse to kiss me." She teased.

"You're right." Derek replied mischievously and then turned serious. "Listen, Lils, I-I'm sorry about what happened yesterday, in the library-not about what I said-" he continued hurriedly. "-but about the way I said it. I should have waited to tell you, I shouldn't have blurted it out after a quick kiss in the library. I just-" he shrugged his shoulders. "-it just came out."

Lily shook her head. "It's all right. I'm the one that should be apologizing. I didn't say anything back to you…" she said hesitantly and then continued. "-It's just that I can't lie about loving you….and quite frankly I don't think I do love you Derek."

"I'll give you time." He said gently as he cradled her face in his hands. "All the time you need sweetheart."

"Thanks." Lily mumbled awkwardly as she pulled away from him. "I just feel so guilty that I can't….say it back to you."

Derek chuckled. "You don't have to. I don't want you to feel pressured into saying anything."

Lily smiled. "You're really sweet you know that?"

"Sweet?" Derek said in mock horror. "Lils, you don't ever praise a guy by calling him sweet. We prefer suave, cool, perfect, heroic-"

"The list never ends." Lily scoffed. "Lets get down to lunch before your head swells up so much that it can't even fit in the Great Hall."

Derek looked at her sideways. "Let's have lunch somewhere else."

Lily looked at him surprised. "Where else do you suggest we eat lunch?"

OooOOOooOOOo

"Isn't this better?" Derek asked proudly as he sat across from Lily.

Derek had arranged a blanket outside, underneath the beach tree near the lake. Due to a detour to the kitchens, the blanket was loaded with food.

Lily leaned towards the lake and put one hand in the water, swirling the water around with her hand. She looked up mischievously and playfully splashed some water towards Derek. It didn't even touch him but he still let out an exclamation of mock anger.

"I'll get you for that." Derek said warningly.

Lily stood up and began to run away from him while giggling uncontrollably. Derek caught up with her, grabbed her around the middle from behind and began to spin her around while Lily laughed.

Derek set her down and Lily turned to look at him happily. She was happy…so happy. She hadn't been this carefree since…well since a very long time. Lily suddenly let out a gasp as Derek squirted water in her face with his wand.

"I told you I'd get you back!" he exclaimed over his shoulder as he walked away from her smoothly.

Dereks biggest mistake was turning his back on the ferocious redhead behind him. Lily murmured a spell and he was suddenly doused in water from head to foot.

"What'd you do sweetie?" Lily mocked as Derek turned to stare at her. "Walk into the lake while not looking?" she batted her eyelashes innocently.

In the blink of an eye she was completely wet as well.

"Hey you can't use my own spell against me!" Lily protested. "That's unfair."

Derek caressed his wand slyly before saying "All's fair in love and war dear."

Lily shook her head and a cool gust of wind blew around her suddenly making her shiver.

"Let's go change before we both catch colds." Derek said walking towards her and putting an arm around her. With a flick of his wand the food began to pack itself back up into the basket Derek had brought out with him.

OoOoOoOOOOO

"Why're you two wet?" Sirius asked as students began emerging from the great Hall to get to their next class in time. James-who had seldom thought of little else other than the fact that neither lily nor Derek had showed up for lunch stopped mid sentence while talking to Andrea and turned to look at the wet couple.

Derek chuckled and shot Lily a sideways glance. "We'd tell you Black." He finally said as Lily and he shared a secret glance. "But then we'd have to kill you." And with that he hauled Lily against his side so that she could snuggle against him and they both trudged up to the Gryffindor tower to change.

"She'll be late for class." Remus observed absentmindedly.

"I don't really think she cares." Andrea said grinning. "That's a good thing. She needs to loosen up."

"Yea." Cassidy agreed. "She's always so particular about rules and whatnot. I think Derek's having a good effect on her."

James didn't comment-he merely threw an arm around Rosalyn who was standing beside him.

OoOOOoOOOoO

A/n: im sorry guys I haven't updated in awhile. It's just that school is being a real bitch. N I got work too so im pretty busy…plus I found some shit out that really disturbed me. But w/e.

Anyway I havent done these in awhile but on with the thank you's:

Fairy Love: haha I have my own way of makin james feel awful for what he's doing to lily! Haha! N I hope you'll like it when it finally comes around!

HazelGreenEyes:eurgh im sorry I didn't update sooner!

Trocle: thanks….btw u n me…it was soooooooooooooo spur of the moment.

Tennisjock: thank you! I think…im sorry I made ur heart cry lol…but I feel flattered.

Insane blonde: oh he's not gonna be mean to lily now…u just watch.

Anso: hey ur English aint that bad!thanks of rthe review!

The Flames Within: eurgh sorry for the delay I had too much shit going on!

Yume-dream:oh im sorry u cried! But wow I feel so flattered that my writing brings abt such strong responses…wow…im awed…thank you so much,

Anon: thank you for reviewing AGAIN!

Jones: hey I'll keep that in mind!

Claire Bell: sorry for the long wait! I just had too much shit going on in my life,

indescribablyBee:James was lol. He wasn't crying exactly…he just had tears streaming down his eyes. He had all these emotions building up inside of him….n it really hurt him to see Lily kiss Derek…though he can't understand the emotions going on within him…his body does…he was hurt n sad…thus the tears.

Anna: lol I like the previous chapie too! Haha the snog was soo random!

James: I write on cuz I wanna improve my writing. That's why I ask for suggestions so I can get a feel for what pplel ike to read n how to improve my stories. Also….i read fanfics out there…n they will be nice fanfics but it'll be like…I really wanted so n so to h appen in the fanfic…or I really wanted to read abt some kinda party….n it's so frusterating when u don't find the read ur mind is looking for. That's why I ask for suggestions. Cuz I know the feeling…im a reader too.

Emy Lou Who: hahaa yes he's starting to feel bad! Lol.

Puffeh: yea he is being a prick..but hey he is SIXTEEN. Lol give him a break.,

Smileenov: hey thanks for the review! Lol h ehasnt made it up quite yet..now he is in denial.lol.

Starnerd:lol I know it;'s confusing….but james is sixteen n stupid. Lol.

Allie: thanks for the review!

Heather1010: ur right on target! Thank you….im so happy im not confusing all of my readers!haha.

magicXheart: awww but Rosalyn is so nice…isn't she? I tried to make her into someone nice…n isn't Derek nice too?

Siriusforeva:hahaha well James is gonna get his act together now…well in a few chaps actually.hehe….no wait..i dunno…..maybe in the next five chaps….lol.

Freespirit00:haha it just never..struck him u cud say. He never fully realized that she had never been kissed until it was too late. It's like u know something…but u just haven't put the pieces of the puzzle together yet…n then someone else does it for you n ur like ohhhhhhh.

futurePOTUS:ummm….yes lily is a virgin n James….well u'll find out in the upcoming chapters. Hehe. That doesn't necessarily mean that he aint a virgin right now tho. Lol.

Lilalex13: haahah yea DRAMA. Lol n james will get his act together sooner or later don't worry.

Bumi: haha look I did what u asked me too! N I hope ur pumpkin is ok! Lol. Don't be too sad!

EternityandBeyond: lol sorry to say but he is gonna still be annoying for a few more chaps.

Marauders13:well I think I took like…3 weeks for this chap..ouch…SORRY!but ive ben so busy….n most likely the next chappie will be up in another three weeks.

SaphirePheonix:haha well now James is gonna suffer.

Grannyhpfan: don't worry remember what lily said? She's not gonna let any guy close to her heart…so yea she's gonna stay ….distant with Derek. In other words…she's gonna remain a virgin until James comes along. Hehe. N Yea james is gonna suffer some more.

Ralyks: haah ur the first person actually feeling sorry for James….thank you. That's what I was going for.

Shopper-manie: n ur the first person that likes Rosalyn,….everyone just hates her..i dunno why…im trying to make her very likeable…hey she didn't know anything here…she;s innocent.

Katlyn: Thank you! Sorry for the wait!

Alllright pple…plzz review…Iknwo this wasn't much but wait two more chaps maybe….things are gonna heat up slowly.

Remember to leave a review! I promise to try n update sooner!


	19. Chapter 19:Surprise!

"Just keep him out of the common room." Andrea hissed at Sirius while she used her wand to hang streamers inside the common room. "We don't want him coming in until we've decorated this whole place properly."

Sirius looked at Andrea slyly. "You know you look really cute with your hair all tangled into a bun with a few strands hanging loose."

Andrea blushed but continued to wave her wand, guiding streamers to their destination.

Sirius reached out a hand to brush one strand away from her check and then leaned into her to whisper in her ear. "Reminds me of the time we first kissed."

Andrea jumped away from him and looked ready to give him a tongue lashing when a voice suddenly cut in from behind.

"Everything all right?"

Andrea turned to see Terry looking at Sirius challengingly. "Is he bothering you Andy?"

"No…he was just leaving." Andrea said leveling her gaze onto Sirius.

Sirius seemed totally unabashed by what he'd done and merely winked at her before leaving.

"I don't like the way you two have been carrying on lately." Terry said disapprovingly.

Andrea turned to stare at him. "What in the blazes do are you talking about?"

"Ever since December he's been….too friendly with you." Terry ended lamely. "I don't like it…." Terry looked up at her vulnerably. "I think I'm jealous." He said as if he was baffled by it. "I don't like how it feels."

Andrea merely laughed and threw her arms around him. "You have nothing to be jealous of." She assured. "Sirius and I are just friends." She kissed Terry on the cheek before trying to pull away but Terry wouldn't let her.

"Nevertheless I'd appreciate it if you and Sirius didn't interact as much with each other anymore…." he shrugged. "I just don't like the way he looks at you whenever you two hang out together."

Andrea looked up at Terry disbelievingly. "Are you telling me to stop being friends with Sirius?"

"Well no….I just don't want you to spend s much time with him…anymore…"

Andrea had to work to tamp down the burst of anger that sprouted forth within her. In even tones she said. "Sirius is as dear a friend to me as Remus or James. Sirius and I may have an unusual past but we vowed that it would never affect our friendship. We are and will always remain friends regardless of how he looks at me, what you feel and whether he likes me or not. He's been my friend for the past five years and the bond we have cannot be broken by anyone….even you."

Terry looked at her evenly. "Is that truly how you feel? Does Sirius come before me?"

Andrea looked at Terry disbelievingly. "This isn't some competition you great prat. Sirius has his own place and you have your own. I love you….and you've been my boyfriend for the past 7 months but Sirius has been my best friend for the past five years. He's been with me through thick and thin. He's stuck with me through the good and bad times. How can you ask me to stop being friends with him? I can't just up and break five years of friendship with someone just because my boyfriend is jealous."

"Andy…" Terry murmured leaning his forehead against hers. "You have me now. I'm going to stick with you through the good and the bad….you don't need anybody else….I'm not asking you to leave Sirius. I'm just asking you to lessen the amount of time you spend with him. I don't trust him."

"If you trusted me, you wouldn't be asking this of me." Andrea replied dryly.

"So is this how it's going to be? I'm going to have to ignore some guy checking out my girlfriend and flirting with her?" Terry replied evenly.

Andrea shifted uncomfortably in Terry's arms. He had her there.

"He doesn't do that." She replied. Hah…even she knew she was lying through her teeth.

"Oh yes he does." Terry replied vehemently. "He does. I'm not blind….and you don't do anything to stop him either."

Andrea looked up at Terry flabbergasted. "How can you say I don't? I always try to upbraid him-"

"But that's all you do." Terry cut in. "It's not working obviously….the only way is to decrease the time you spend with him."

"I won't do that." Andrea replied adamantly.

Terry sighed and looked at Andrea sadly. "You still have feelings for him don't you?"

Andrea didn't reply. She merely looked at him defiantly-daring him to continue.

"You…you want him to flirt with you." Terry accused. "I saw you across the room blushing when he said something….you…." Terry stopped and took a deep breathe before replying. "If you still liked Sirius you should have never strung me along. You don't love me….how can you when you accept the advances of another man?"

Andrea looked at Terry angrily. "How dare you say that I accept his advances?!" she screeched. "How dare you even think-"

"But its true isn't it?" Terry challenged. "He keeps on sending you these vibes that he's interested in you and you keep on accepting them! I'm not blind Andrea!"

"No but you're incredibly stupid!" Andrea returned. "And you know what maybe I don't want a stupid dingbat like you for a boyfriend!" she lashed out angry at Terry for pointing out the obvious. Angry that he was pointing out to her how wrong she was in liking Sirius's advances. Angry that he saw what Andrea thought she was keeping well hidden from everyone.

Terry looked at her stunned for a minute before saying slowly. "Are you breaking up with me?"

"Maybe I am." Andrea taunted childishly. She knew she was being a bitch but right now she didn't care. How dare Terry say that she LIKED Sirius flirting with her. She did NOT like it when Sirius flirted with her…no she didn't.…not at all!!!

Terry's eyes hardened. "Fine then." He snapped. "Then I guess we have nothing left to say to each other."

"I guess we don't." Andrea replied nastily before turning and going back to hanging streamers up. She heard Terry turn abruptly and leave.

"Um Andrea…" Lily began tentatively as she came to stand beside her. "…that was really….."

"Mean." Cassidy supplied from the far corner.

"Bitchy would fit better." Natalie said dryly walking over to them. "I can't believe you just acted like that."

Andrea let her shoulders slump. "I can't either…..I was just so angry at what he said…but not because he was wrong." She looked up at Lily. "Because he's right. I'm so confused. I shouldn't like how Sirius is flirting with me….but I do like it. I….and Terry knows….and I feel so guilty. I feel like some kind of two timing slut."

"But you're not!" Cassidy cut in. "You haven't cheated on Terry."

"I haven't but I told him I loved him and yet I like it when another man flirts with me….not just any man…the man who was my first love…" Andrea suddenly felt her eyes becoming wet. "I can't believe I just blew up at him like that!"

"Go and say sorry." Lily said taking control of hanging the streamers up.

"He'll never take me back." Andrea moaned.

"At least tell him you're sorry." Cassidy urged.

Andrea turned and went up the staircase without another backward glance.

"Terry was just being jealous." Derek assured a worried Lily as he helped her carry butterbeers back from the kitchens. "He didn't mean for their argument to get so out of hand."

Lily shrugged. "I think he just touched a nerve that's all. I mean….I can understand how Andrea feels. You never truly forget your first love."

"What about you Lily?" Derek suddenly asked wistfully. "Is there a first love you've never forgotten?"

Lily shrugged uncomfortably. "I guess."

"Can you tell me who it is?" Derek asked and then on a lighter note said. "I'd like to know who my competition is."

Lily laughed. "Don't worry…you don't have any competition…but I'd rather not tell you who it is…at least not right now. It's just….I don't like talking about it."

"I'll wait." Derek said fondly. "For you I'd wait lifetime."

Lily smiled up at Derek. She couldn't believe how lucky she was to have such a kind and caring boyfriend who didn't ignore her for a Quidditch match or discussion about Quidditch.

ooOoOoOooOOOOoOoOOOOOO

Terry and Andrea had never really had a fight until now…so it was understandable that when both came back downstairs from Terry's dorm they were more interested in clinging to each other than helping with the decorations.

"You know they say that couples who don't have small fights every now and then usually end up just having one huge fight after awhile." Remus observed as everyone sent Rosalyn to keep James out of the common room so Sirius could come in and help.

Andrea merely giggled and looked up at Terry secretively.

Terry looked down at Andrea fondly before saying. "But you know what I've discovered?"

"What?" Remus queried.

"The bigger the fight the better the makeup." He replied mischievously before leaning down to kiss Andrea.

Sirius entered the common room just as Terry finished kissing Andrea lovingly.

A look of pain crossed his face before he squared his shoulders and walked towards them determinedly. His pursuit of Andrea was relentless. He knew she was only trying to convince herself she loved Terry. The electricity that had been between Sirius and Andrea was absent between her and Terry. Andrea knew it and so did Sirius.

OooOOooOOOOoOoOOO

"Surprise!!" everyone shouted as James entered the common room.

James smirked and said. "Next time you might not want to tell Wormtail about your plans. He talks in his sleep."

Everyone turned and glared at Peter who said defensively "it's not like I do it on purpose."

"So you knew?" Rosalyn asked aghast. "I spent a whole hour snogging with you for nothing?!"

"Now sweetheart, I wouldn't say it was for nothing." James said smirking at Rosalyn. "I knew what you were trying to do-I just decided to let you carry on instead of stopping you. It was a rather pleasant snog was it not?" James said smirking at her.

"At the risk of everyone loosing their lunch, please do not carry on." Remus implored.

"Come on Moony, atleast lemme have some fun on my birthday." James joked.

Remus shook his head as everyone chuckled. After that the party started and everyone concentrated on having fun. Sirius and Peter set off a few filibuster fireworks within the common room which was quite a site. Lily snuggled underneath the crook of Derek's arm as she watched the fireworks go off. She sighed contently when Derek leaned down and kissed her cheek.

"I think-" he whispered in her ear sweetly. "-that you are the most beautiful thing I have ever seen."

Lily looked up at him, startled by the honesty and amazement in his voice. He leaned down to kiss her forehead.

"You have no idea what you do to me Lily." He breathed achingly. "Sometimes I just want to hold you and never let go. I want to hide you away from the world and keep you for myself. It scares me." He finally admitted. "I've never felt this way about anyone before. Sometimes I think I'm insane for wanting you as much as I do." He looked away ruefully. "Just ignore me. I don't even make sense to myself. You just have this effect on me…like right now-I'm telling you things I would never tell you if you weren't looking up at me the way you are right now. You make me feel as if I could take on the world. It's your eyes…" he breathed and then flushed. "I can't believe I just said all that." He suddenly let go of her and turned away. He felt like such a fool. He'd just laid his heart bare for her. She must be laughing so hard….

A hand squeezed his shoulder. Derek turned to look at Lily who was smiling up at him adoringly. "Thank you." She whispered.

"For making a fool of myself?" Derek supplied trying to smile at her nonchalantly.

Lily shook her head. "For making me feel special." She corrected.

Just as the last filibuster firework went off Derek kissed Lily. When they pulled away, practically the whole common room started clapping.

"That was one hell of a kiss!" their housemates hooted.

"It was hot." Joked a 5th year and everyone burst out laughing.

"I was wondering when you two would come up for air." Andrea added. She then turned to Terry accusingly. "How come you never kiss me like that?"

"Looks like someone forgot what went on in my dorm awhile back." Terry teased making Andrea blush.

This caught the attention of Sirius while everyone hooted at Terry's comment.

"Maybe she needs a reminder." Terry said loudly before swooping down and kissing her just as passionately as Derek had kissed Lily.

"Wanna give them a run for their money?" Cassidy teased, looking up at Remus who had his arms around her from behind.

Remus grinned wolfishly. "Gladly." he replied and kissed her.

Sirius made gagging noises. "That's my sister by the way." He croaked when the couple broke apart.

"Why not see if the birthday boy can do better?" Rosalyn announced.

James felt nauseous. He had just seen Lily get kissed passionately by Derek as if there was no tomorrow. He did not feel up to kissing ANYONE right now….unless of course it was Lily. He wanted her. He wanted her so badly right now that it hurt. He wanted to take her in his arms and hold onto her forever. He wanted to beat Derek to a bloody pulp for thinking the same thing. How dare anyone but him think about Lily that way? Derek had no right…..but wait a minute….he did. He was Lily's boyfriend. Derek had every right; it was James that had no right. How could this be when every single part of his being screamed that she belonged to him and no one else?

Rosalyn was leaning into him for a kiss. He didn't want to kiss her. No…he couldn't kiss her even if he had wanted to. Just the thought of kissing anyone other than Lily made him want to hurl right now. It was her he wanted in his arms. It was her lips he wanted pressed against his. Not Rosalyn's…she needed to back up before he pushed her away….too late. James started hyperventilating and leaned away from her.

Rosalyn looked at him confusedly as he pulled away.

"You'll pull away faster than you can say ew if you kiss me right now." James said trying to be suave. "I just had some of those garlic bread sticks Sirius snuck in from the kitchens."

Everyone laughed good naturedly and the party continued. James tried not to think about the violent turnabout his feelings had just taken but at times he would space out only to have the person he was talking to snap their fingers infront of his face.

He couldn't help but think 'what the hell had just happened'?

A/N: id like to ask myself the samething….what the hell just happened??

The little kiss thing was suppose to be just some good natured fun the students took part in. It wasn't meant to trigger the feelings it did in James….the words just flowed from my fingertips and I typed them….when I was done….i liked it….so yea…I don't think im gonna go back and change it….even if it doesn't go with the current plot of my story. I like this…..

Anyway happy new year everyone….n the next update…I don't know…ive got these little chapters all written up but I don't know in what sequence to arrange all these different events…so u could get a chapte4r as early as this coming Sunday or maybe around the end of January….otherwise check back around the end of march….and even then if I don't update then (which I highly doubt…my birthday is in march so I will def update by then)..expect an update in the summer. N if anyones interested I wrote a one shot called he had changed…..go read it….it's pretyy short…2 pages long at the most.now that im done wioth my shameless plug...again happy new year everyone!!


	20. Chapter 20:Fate intervenes

Andrea and Terry walked down to lunch hand in hand laughing and joking around with each other as young sweethearts might.

A figure rushing out of the Great Hall suddenly crashed into them. Looking down, Andrea saw a 5 foot 2, petite girl with dark brown hair look up at them with tears in her eyes.

"Laura?" Terry asked incredulously, "What's wrong?"

"N-nothing." Laura said with a trembling lip as she ran past him.

"Who was that?" Andrea queried.

Terry looked at the spot where Laura had stood a moment ago.

"She's a fifth year…Gryffindor." He replied his gaze fixed where Laura had been standing.

"How come I don't know her then?" Andrea asked curiously. "She's in Natalie's year and our house."

Terry shrugged. "Laura has always been back in the shadows…" he turned to look behind him as if he could still see Laura running towards the Gryffindor Tower. "She keeps to herself. Those who do know her think she's some sort of freak while the rest don't even know she exists." A somber look crossed his face.

"You know her." Andrea pointed out.

"I tutored her in my fourth year in potions…she was in second year." Terry looked at Andrea sadly. "You know sometimes I felt as if I was the only friend she really had. We used to talk a lot and I could tell that she was really lonely but for some reason the girls in her year don't like her. She's really nice once you get to know her but her the girls in her year always exclude her from each and every activity they participate in."

"Why?" Andrea asked curiously.

Terry shrugged. "She told me she had a huge spat with one of the popular girls in her first year and ever since then everyone had counted her as an outcast…." Terry's eyes hardened. "No matter….I think she's used to being alone. She doesn't appreciate it when someone tries to give her company."

Terry closed his eyes and remembered the last time he'd spoken to her. The hurt look on her face still haunted him.

_Why don't you leave me alone and find someone else to pity? Does it make you feel important that you- one of the most popular boys in school-actually takes time out to spend with poor old Laura the outcast? Leave me alone Terry…I don't need your charity. Just go away. _

_Just go away…_

_Just go away…_

After that, Terry being the hotheaded 14 year old he was, vowed never to speak to her again and left in a huff. Now however when Terry thought about it he finally understood why she had been so angry. She had thought he was being nice to her because he pitied her…not because he wanted to be her friend.

"Terry." Andrea said bringing him back to earth. "Are you listening to me?"

"Sorry…what'd you say?" Terry asked.

Andrea smiled. "Why don't you go cheer her up? No one else is going to try….you might as well."

Terry hesitated. "We're not exactly on friendly terms anymore…" he trailed off.

"Go. I can tell you used to be really close to her. I know you're worried about her. Go!" Andrea urged. "Poor thing….I'd go myself but it would seem like pity to her. Maybe if you go she'll think its mere curiosity and she won't take it the wrong way. Someone needs to comfort her."

Terry smiled down at her. "I'll be into lunch in a few minutes. Would you mind terribly if I brought her down to come and sit with us today?"

"Not at all." Andrea assured. "Now go."

OOOoOOOoOOOOoOOOO

Laura entered the common room to find it abandoned. She stopped for a minute to gain her composure. What the fifth year boys had just done to her was unforgivable. This year seemed to be 'let's play with Laura's emotions' year.

First, Natalie hooked Terry up with Lily Evans' best friend out of spite. It was common knowledge that Laura had very strong feelings for Terry. Then Terry fell in love with that girl and then one of the boys in her year-Jordon West began to court her. He paid attention to her…was nice to her. He wooed her with flowers, candy and sweet gestures like saving her a seat in Herbology or taking her to Hogsmeade and surprising her by buying her little trinkets.

Then today, when Laura finally agreed to be his girlfriend he laughed in her face and collected his winnings from his friends in front of her. It had been a bet. That boy had been after her since the beginning of December…she even had a picture of him and her dancing to the last song at the Christmas ball. Well that picture would have to go. She would go and burn it….right now.

"Laura."

Laura felt her heart stop beating for a split second and then go into double time. Terry-the boy she had been crushing on ever since her second year when he had looked down at her, smiled and sat down across from her to begin their first tutoring session-was calling her name.

Laura turned to look at him with what she hoped was a cool exterior.

"Yes Terry?"

"Are you…all right?" he finally asked looking at her closely.

"Thank you for your concern-"Laura began coldly. "-but I'm sure your girlfriend must be missing you."

Terry looked at her angrily. "My girlfriend? _My _girlfriend Laura? What about that _boy_ you've been so chummy with lately? Hmmmm? What's his face…the one you were cuddling up to especially during the Christmas ball?"

"What about you and your girl Terry? Asked her to marry you yet?! You two seem pretty cozy as well!! That picture that appeared on the wall during the Christmas Ball showed me just HOW cozy you two are!" she retorted and then added. "f-for your information Terry…" she looked as if she was going to start crying, "th-that BOY who I seemed so c-cozy with had a b-bet with his friends that he could get me to go out with him before the end of the year! How about that? I'm just a bet! Are you here on a bet as well Terry? Who'd you make the bet with? You're g-g-g-g-g-girlfriend? Or m-maybe Sirius Black?" Tears were flowing freely down her eyes now.

Terry looked at her with a stricken expression.

"Oh Laurie." He said before enveloping her in a hug. Her shoulders shook up and down while he patted her back comfortingly. "Stop crying….please…..stop crying." He murmured.

"I c-c-c-can't" came her muffled reply. "I thought I could finally be happy. I thought I could h-h-have what you have with Andrea b-but I was wroooonnnggg."

Terry had no reply to that and merely held her while she cried.

OoOOoOoOooOooOooOOooO

"Tsk tsk Andrea….you never send your boyfriend to comfort a crying girl. Don't you know anything?" Sirius teased. "He's probably off snogging her right now."

"You wish." Andrea shot back. "Unlike you Sirius Black, my boyfriend's _faithful."_

This was met with a round of "Ooohhhs" around the table.

OOoOOOooOOOoOOOOooOOoo

"No, I'm fine." Lily assured Derek who was sitting beside her in the library. "I don't need you to sit with me. Go to lunch." He whispered something in her ear which made Lily giggle and then he got up and left.

"I thought you two were attached at the hip." A new voice speculated. Lily turned around to see Remus standing behind her with a book in his hand. "Mind if I join you?"

Lily smiled shook her head and finally spoke up as Remus sat. "He's nice, but it gets…suffocating having him around all the time." Lily smiled and added. "I see Cassidy isn't around."

Remus shook his head. "She's not around because she's waiting for me to join her for lunch." He gave Lily a benign smile and continued. "For me it's suffocating when she's not around."

Lily smiled at Remus. "I could never be that way. Having Derek around all the time makes me feel like…like I'm giving up a part of myself. It makes me feel like I can't have a private life with him around."

Remus smiled. "So what do you plan on doing Lily? Starving yourself just to maintain some sort of 'privacy'?"

Lily shook her head. "I didn't go to lunch because I have an essay I need to turn in. I would never finish this if I did it while at the lunch table. I'd just get too involved in talking with everybody."

"Looks like someone needs a dose of marauding." Came a new voice.

Lily turned around to see James, Sirius and Peter standing there.

"Wow…all four marauders in the library at the same time." Lily joked. "This should go down in Hogwarts: A History. Why aren't you three at lunch?"

"We were-"James scoffed. "-until Padfoot here upset Andrea. She retaliated as always." James said wryly. "Leaving Padfoot here to nurse his wounds in the only way he knows how."

Lily looked at Sirius, amused, "So the great Sirius Black nurses his wounds by hanging out in the Library? Interesting…"

Sirius glared at Lily, before adding testily. "I wanna do a prank! Come on!"

"Cassidy-" Remus began.

"Forget her." Sirius snapped. "This is important."

Remus rolled his eyes and stood up. Lily watched them turn around to leave but then they stopped.

"We're waiting." Sirius said impatiently.

Lily was startled to realize that they were waiting for her.

"But my ess-"

The next thing she knew James had grabbed her arm from the left side while Sirius from the right. They hauled her up and began to pull her along with them.

"Let me go!" she yelled while struggling against the two tall boys who seemed indifferent to her protests. "I want to stay in the library and finish my ess-"

"OUT!! OUT! OUT! OUT!" Madam Pince yelled as she grabbed Lily's book bag and threw it out after the Marauders. "Don't come back in until you learn the proper decorum that goes along with entering a library!"

"Well that's settled." Peter quipped as he picked up Lily's bag. "Let's go."

"You four are so going to pay for this." Lily muttered as she walked with them towards the Gryffindor common room.

"Right so we need the Marauders map first of all." James said as Peter nodded. "Plus the invisibility cloak."

"Dungbombs?" Sirius queried.

"Five." James replied.

"Make it ten." Remus replied blandly. "Firecrackers?"

"Eight." Sirius said grinning.

Lily looked at them fascinated ….she was actually watching a prank being planned full Marauder style…and she had to admit…they had style. It was like they could read each others thoughts.

"Dinner?" Peter asked anxiously.

"Might as well." James replied.

"No wait." Remus said deep in thought. "How about….Herbology."

"Brilliant!" the other three said.

"Come again?" Lily asked totally confused. She had no idea what they had just planned. No wonder no one could ever catch them.

"Better do it now." James said quickly. "We only have 45 minutes left until lunch ends."

Peter nodded as they all entered the common room. Lily entered and suddenly noticed the stiff backs of all four Marauders. Looking beyond she saw Terry kissing a girl she didn't know. Lily gasped. She pushed past the four Marauders and exclaimed-

"How DARE YOU!?"

Terry quickly broke away from the girl and looked at Lily. He himself seemed confused by what he had just done.

"I-" he began. "I-"

Lily moved towards him but James suddenly pulled her back with his hands clamping down on her arms. She saw Sirius pass her and land a punch squarely on Terry's face.

"Faithful my arse!" Sirius exploded as he looked at Terry with contempt. "You vile piece of scum! That's what Ans said about you! She said you were faithful! I can't believe you-" he pulled his fist back to make another punch.

"Enough Sirius." Remus suddenly spoke up. He moved to pull Sirius back. "With your current rage you might just kill him."

"Oh you don't get it Remus." Sirius said in a deathly whisper as he cracked his knuckles. "I WANT to kill him."

"She trusted you!" Lily yelled trying to fight against James hold on her. "She trusted you and you hurt her! You…. I'll never forgive you! YOU SAID YOU LOVED HER! She….SHE LOVES YOU! Oh my GOD…" Lily turned around and began to weep in James arms. "James he's going to hurt my best friend….he's going to hurt her…." Lily sobbed.

'Like I hurt you.'

The thought came unbidden into James mind. He swallowed and put his arms around Lily. He felt his own heart breaking with every tear she shed. Had she cried like this when he'd done the same thing? He never wanted to see Lily brought down to this weeping mass that was in his arms right now. However, had he caused this same plight to her when he had done exactly what Terry was doing? Worse….had she been more miserable than now because then it had been her in the predicament. Right now Lily was weeping for a friend who had been betrayed…..weeping for yourself being betrayed is a different pain altogether. James never wanted to see her in that state…never. Guilt and remorse tore at him as Lily let her tears fall onto his robe.

He tightened his hold around her.

"Shhh." He murmured. "Andrea's a big girl. She can take care of herself."

"What's going on?" came a new, oddly strained voice.

Lily peeked over James shoulder to see Cassidy, Andrea and Derek standing there. Cassidy had been the one to speak up. Andrea was looking very confused while Derek was looking at Lily-who was clinging to James as if her life depended on it.

"Derek." Lily said pulling away from James.

Derek looked at her startled by her tears and was by her side in two seconds flat.

"What's wrong?" he asked watching her remaining tears leak from her eyes. He wiped them away with his thumb and caressed her cheek.

Lily shook her head and looked back at Terry who was standing there looking at Andrea.

There was complete silence.

"What happened?" Andrea finally asked. "Why is Lily crying?" she then looked at Terry. "And why do you have a black eye?!" she ran towards him to inspect his wound. "Sirius Black this is your doing isn't it?" Andrea snapped angrily as she examined Terry's wounded eye which was getting more and more swollen by the second. "I swear you-" Andrea suddenly stopped speaking and merely looked at Terry. "Why-" she began calmly and took one step away from him. "-do u have a smudge of lipstick at the corner of your mouth?"

"Andrea-"

"Don't you dare even say her name!" Sirius suddenly roared and pushed Terry into the wall behind him. A resounding thud was heard by everyone. "Don't you dare talk to her!"

"Let him go Sirius!" Andrea yelled. "Let him go! It's not his fault!" she gave him an oddly twisted smile. "Maybe it's my fate. Maybe every guy I fall for is supposed to hurt me." And with that she ran up the stairs into her own dormitory.

Lily and Cassidy turned to follow her.

Laura merely stood rooted to the spot looking at everyone. When her eyes landed on Sirius, the look in his eyes was so ferocious that she had to take a huge gulp before finally speaking up.

"It-It's not his fault." She finally got out.

"We know. The blame is partially yours." Remus said wryly. "Or did you not know that he has a girlfriend?"

"I knew." Laura said looking Remus straight in the eye. "I knew but…I…He….we just got caught up in the moment. He was there and he was comforting me…it's just one of those things that happen and you can't help it." She looked at Terry. "You know it's wrong, you know you shouldn't do it but yet some inexplicable force drives you to do so. Almost as if you were supposed to do it, as if it was meant to happen…." Laura suddenly shook her head and the mystical aura that had surrounded her words remained.

"Let him go Sirius." James said quietly.

"But-"

"Let him go." James said more sternly.

Sirius did so and stalked up to the boys dormitory with the other Marauders following him.

OOoOOooOOoOOOooOO

"Are you O.K.?" Laura asked rushing to him and inspecting his eye.

Terry winced as Laura touched his eye tenderly.

"I'm all right." He replied heavily.

Laura took her wand out and cast a simple healing spell on Terry's eye, healing it immediately.

"Terry…Terry I'm so sorry." Laura said anxiously. "I don't know what came over me. We shouldn't have done what we did. I'll help you patch things up with Andrea. I-I'll go to her and tell her I used a love potion on y-"

Her speech was cut off as Terry leaned in and kissed her. When he pulled away Laura looked at him flustered.

"I shouldn't have kissed you." He admitted. "But I'm glad I did."

"Wh-what?" Laura asked confusedly.

Terry clasped one of her small hands in his big one. "I feel like I've been asleep for a long while and I've just woken up." He looked down at their clasped hands. "I thought I was content….it's like thinking this one sweater goes perfectly well with your eyes but then you find one that brings out the gray flecks in your eyes."

Terry looked away and spoke up. "When I kissed you…I've never ever felt that before with any other girl-not even Andrea."

He took out a little black velvet box from his back pocket and looked at it ruefully. He flicked it open and Laura gasped as she saw the huge diamond on a single gold band.

"I was going to ask her to marry me." Terry said ruefully looking down at the ring. "But now I realize that would have been a mistake." He looked at Laura. "You were always the one I wasn't supposed to like. Guys like me don't go for girls like you. I'm supposed to stay away from you and yet-" he chuckled. "-and yet throughout these years I've been searching for your brown hair in the hallways. I would glance at you eating alone on the other side of the Gryffindor table. I don't know why. Andrea is the perfect girl for me. She's a perfect match. She's pretty, tall, compliments my height…she's funny, bright, vivacious but…that one special thing isn't there." He pulled Laura close. "But it's there when I'm with you….when I think of you….when I see you in the hallways….when I glimpse you studying in the library….when I see you stranding in the Gryffindor stands cheering my team on. You've always been there and I never knew….never knew that you don't belong where I put you. You belong with me. Be with me." He said looking down at her.

"B-b-but what about Andrea?" Laura asked pulling away from Terry. "I won't do this to her. I may not know her but I've always hated women who take another girls man."

Terry looked up towards the girls dorms. "I'm going to talk to her. I'll talk to her. Then-" He looked at Laura. "-how about us giving it a try? I'm going to graduate soon Laura. I've realized that time is too precious to waste…especially due to the harsh times that are going to be approaching." He said darkly before turning and leaving.

OoOOoOoOoOoOo

"Andrea." Terry said looking down at her that night in the common room. "Do you honestly see us together ten years from now? Can you picture marrying me?"

Andrea seemed taken aback by this question. "No." she replied after giving it some thought.

Terry took a velvet box out of his back pocket and opened it showing the ring to Andrea.

"I was going to ask you to marry me after graduation." Terry said and he saw the look of panic and shock on Andrea's face. Terry smiled. "I was going through the same feelings when I picked the ring out but I thought…I love her…and she loves me…so we should get married shouldn't we? It seems like the right thing to do." Terry chuckled. "Aren't I foolish? We're not meant to be together." He finally said and it struck Andrea that he was right. He turned around to look at the quiet figure that sat in a corner reading. "I didn't plan on what happened happening." Terry said looking back at Andrea. "But I swear I was not going out with her or anything of the sort. She was sad…I comforted her…and the next thing I knew I was kissing her. When I kissed her I felt my whole world crashing around me. It's you I'm supposed to love; it's you who should send a thrill down my spine when our lips meet….so why was Laura making me feel those things? It was like waking up and realizing that if I had actually asked you to marry me, it would have been a huge mistake. When I'm with you Andy, I feel nice and I feel happy. Whenever I'm with Laura though I feel charged and excited. With you it's simple and uncomplicated….but is love really supposed to be so easy? When I kissed her it felt…different. I've never felt like that when kissing a girl before." He looked Andrea straight in the eye. "Even you."

Andrea nodded and smiled. "Terry….I understand. I know. I saw it between you two when I entered the common room. No wait, I even saw a glimmer of it when we bumped into her while going down to lunch. There's something there. Something we don't have….something I had." She looked away and let her eyes stray towards Sirius. How could she deny Terry the thrill he wanted to experience? The same wonderful thrill she'd experienced when she'd been with Sirius? He had a right to it….he had suddenly grown up. Instead of settling for the one he could live with he was going to go after the one he couldn't live without. Had it only been two months ago that he had held her in his arms told her he would never leave her? How naïve. They had never been in love….they had only wanted to be in love.

Terry grabbed her hand. "Andrea you are and always will be one of my dearest friends." He pushed the box into her hands. "I'm not going to ask you to marry me because now I realize that it would have been stupid. Sooner or later we would have realized that we wanted more from life than what we had with each other. We would've wanted more electricity and more passion…"

Andrea nodded her hand closing over the box.

"When you talked about her to me" Andrea admitted. "I saw the way your eyes lit up. Terry you've liked her ever since fourth year but never made a move to get her. Why?"

Terry shrugged. "I tried to conform to conformity." He merely replied. He turned again to look at Laura who was now gathering up her stuff and getting ready to go up to her room.

"Go." Andrea said. "We were deceiving ourselves Terry. I don't know why we didn't realize it before. I understand now why you kissed her. I think…I think sometimes when we're too stupid to realize the truth God decides to take over for us and point us in the right direction. It was fate. But God can only point. The person to take the initiative has to be you. If you had wanted you could have urged me to take you back and pursued me for the rest of the year trying to get me back but you're not doing that. I think you too are sick and tired of following the stereotype given to one of the star players of the Quidditch team. Go Terry. I'm happy for you."

Terry hugged Andrea and whispered thank you into her ear before turning and going towards Laura.

OooOOoOoOo

"You all right?" Lily asked as Andrea came to sit by her. The Marauders too were looking at her closely.

"I'm fine." Andrea assured. She smiled as she looked over to where Terry was standing. She couldn't help but giggle. Terry was so tall. Laura looked like a midget compared to him. He literally had to bend down to whisper into her ear. Laura pushed him away but Terry suddenly scooped her up in his arms quite easily.

"Well that can be a plus." Andrea commented wryly as she saw Laura trying to struggle out of his grip but Terry being much more muscular and taller than her was totally unaffected.

She suddenly looked at everyone and smiled. "Guys I'm perfectly all right. I swear. I didn't even cry when I was up in my dorm earlier. Ask Lily! I was just angry at Terry. I'm not heart broken. Initially I felt betrayed but now that I've talked with Terry I understand." She looked over again at Terry who was laughing while he carried her right out of the common room and through the portrait hole. "I'm glad you've found your true happiness Terry." She whispered. "I only hope that one day I can find mine as well."

And with that she turned to join a game of exploding snap as the sound of Terry's and Laura's laughter rang in her ears. The portrait hole closed and the sound of their laughter was cut off.

Andrea tightened her grip on the box Terry had given her. This was his promise to her. It was his promise that he would try his best to live happily and her keeping the ring was her promise that she would do the same.

Andrea's eyes strayed to Sirius who was looking down at the deck of exploding snap cards. The question now was where did _her _happiness lay?

A/N:Next chapter...check back after about two weeks. Im on a roll here...can't stop writing...lol. So im enjoying this burst of creativity while it lasts.


	21. Chapter 21:Almost

A/N: OK so someone requested a recap of the couples as it gets confusing…so here goes….

Cassidy is with Remus

James is with Rosalyn

Terry is now technically with Laura

Andrea is single

Sirius is single but has a thing for Andrea.

Lily is with Derek.

Natalie is single but her relationship with Jeff (her fellow 5th year prefect) is progressing. We will see further advancement on their relationship as time passes. Um I got really caught up in writing about James and Lily so those two had to go into the background for awhile. We will eventually learn WHY they are not already going out as they did snog during the Christmas party.

Hehehe.

Natalie voices my views perfectly in this chapter.

LORD IT'S LIKE A SOAP OPERA!

Oh yes and

Disclaimer: I really don't own anything that was created by JK Rowling. I also don't own the songs in this fic. Plz don't sue….i have no money as it is. Other than that…Natalie is mine..so is Cassidy and so is andrea. I take pride in those three being mine at least!!! Hehehe.\

"I can't believe you!" Natalie hissed at Laura, later on that night.

"We always knew she was trouble." Jade, another fifth year girl, said. "Remember how she hurt you Natalie? Now she steals your best friend's boyfriend."

"You scheming, vengeful little-" Natalie began but Laura cut her off.

"Am I really the scheming one Natalie?" Laura asked slamming her book shut and looking up to face Natalie. "You're the one that hooked Terry up with Andrea! You did it because you knew I liked him. You wanted to hurt me."

"I never knew you liked him!" Natalie replied heatedly. "And even if I had known I would've cared less about what you think and feel. You're cruel. You think of no one's feelings but your own. If Terry knew about the real you, he would have never fallen for you!"

"It's you who doesn't know the real me." Laura said quietly.

Natalie merely turned around and began to walk out of the dormitory.

"I'm going to tell Terry about you. I'm going to tell him what you're really like. I wonder if your _precious boyfriend_ will still like you then."

"He's not my boyfriend yet." Laura said angrily and stood up. "I'm going with you because unlike you, Terry will probably be willing to hear me out."

Natalie scoffed.

"Maybe-" Laura said as they left the dorm. "-you'll finally get to hear the truth instead of being blinded by the twisted stories you've been told."

OOoOOoooOooOo

"Are you okay?" James asked Lily tentatively that night in the empty common room. She was sitting on the floor with her left side facing the fire. She was totally absorbed in doing her essay which was due the next morning and scratching her quill away on the parchment. James had been waiting for a long time-waiting for everyone to leave so he could ask her this question in private.

Lily looked up from her essay and asked, "Why wouldn't I be?"

James gazed at her. She was so beautiful. Her red hair seemed to gleam in the firelight and her emerald eyes looked at him inquiringly. James shook himself out of his daze and proceeded to explain.

"You seemed pretty distressed about Terry cheating on Andrea."

Lily smiled at James.

"I'm fine. I was worried about her for nothing. She's perfectly fine. She didn't even cry or show signs of depression. Thanks for asking though." Lily said and went back to her essay.

"You've been doing a lot of last minute essays lately." James observed looking down at her from his perch on the sofa. He leaned forward and propped his elbows on his legs allowing him to bend his back forwards and look more closely at her. "You usually do your essays a week before they are due but these days all I see you doing are last minute essays."

Lily smiled as she wrote.

"When you have Derek for a boyfriend it's really hard to find any free time for essay writing." She replied.

James ignored the little twinge in his heart and didn't reply. He merely sat and watched her. He watched her scrunch up her nose in annoyance when she made an error. She knit her eyebrows together, deep in thought; tucking a strand of her fiery hair behind her ear. She leaned down biting her lip while correcting it. He lowered his gaze to her slender fingers, wrapped around her quill as she wrote in that neat precise handwriting that James was now sure he would be able to tell a mile away. He fixed his gaze on her smooth, elegant hand and noticed that she didn't have a manicure like other girls did. Funny how he only noticed now but for some reason he felt that it was exactly like Lily. She prided herself on being natural; she wasn't one to wear fake nails on a daily basis-like Rosalyn. James shook his head at the comparison. It wasn't that he didn't like fake nails, it was that _Lily_ didn't wear fake nails therefore he liked it. Why though? Why did he like the way Lily did everything? He liked the way she held her quill and the manner in which her fingers enclosed it. With a small grin he realized that Lily must have written him letters in this same methodical manner. It somehow felt intimate to watch her write. He couldn't believe that he had once hated her. How could he hate such a beautiful and gentle girl? So elegant, so poised. She was nothing short of graceful, from her hair to her face, to her hands to her…

James grinned as he thought what this would look like if anyone entered the common room. Why he was practically drooling over her hand! Not because it was pretty, elegant or unique but because it was _Lily's_. Shaking his head, James continued to watch her writing. He watched her dot her I's and cross her t's. He yearned to hold her hand in his but he contented himself with watching it.

He started as she suddenly looked up, smiling.

"You know it's pretty uncomfortable to work while someone is watching you."

She then turned her attention back to her essay, while flexing her hands, trying to get rid of the cramps.

Without thinking, he grabbed her hand and began to rub it between his own two hands. A sudden jolt went through him and James knew that he would never forget this feeling. He liked it-her hand sandwiched between his two hands as he tried to rub away her cramps. He looked up at her to see her emerald eyes looking straight into his own.

James leaned in closer, his heart pounding in his ears. The tingling sensation traveling up from his hands was making him giddy.

"I-I'm fine now." Lily said breathlessly as she looked at his face hovering above hers. Her heart was pounding against her ribcage and she could feel her face heating up.

"Good." James replied quietly, allowing the heady feeling to wash over him. He couldn't let go of her hand. He merely stared into her eyes as they both felt an intense urgency to be closer to each other rise inside them.

Lily thought it was over when James finally let go of her hand. She was proved wrong when his hands began to travel up her arms and came to rest on her shoulders.

James began to urge her upwards, to sit on her knees so he would have easier access to her lips. He pulled her towards him and thought in his mind that he was going insane.

"I'll never believe your lies!" Erupted the all too familiar voice of Natalie from the upper stairs leading to the girls' dorms. Lily forcefully pulled away from James and realized what she had been about to do. If she had done that…if they had kissed….she would have done to Derek exactly what James had done to her. She would rather endure the Cruciatus curse than making anyone feel what she had felt back then.

"You believed our roommate's lies easily." Came another bitter voice.

By the time Natalie and the girl with her reached the bottom staircase they met a scene where Lily was quickly gathering up her things with shaking hands and James had a red flush on his cheeks.

"Lily…." He began quietly so the two figures he was well aware of wouldn't hear.

"It's late." Lily said brightly as she shoved papers in between her books. "I need to get up early tomorrow. Yes, I need to go and sleep…um…need to get up early for….for….so I really should get some sleep."

"Lily…..wait…" James whispered pleadingly.

"Good night James." She said even more perkily as she held onto her books as if her life depended on it. She then turned and quickly walked past Natalie and Laura.

"Bad timing?" Natalie asked with a raised eyebrow as Lily disappeared up the steps.

"The worst." James spat.

Standing up he stalked up the steps to his own dormitory.

"Lord, this is like some sort of soap opera." Natalie whispered to herself.

OOOooOoOOOoOooO

"I'm coming in! Make sure you're decent!" Natalie yelled while knocking on the 7th year boys dormitory.

"Hold on a sec while you?" grumbled Greg.

Natalie giggled. "You guys have 5 seconds. 5…..4……3"

"What the hell is this?! Stop acting as if the hallway is on fire!" Terry yelled angrily.

"2…." Natalie said over her laughter.

Laura couldn't help but laugh along with her.

"I know! You're acting like some sort of ministry official here to search our dorm for dark artifacts or something.", grumbled Derek above the frantic shuffling sounds coming from the dormitory.

"1!!!" Natalie yelled and opened the door.

All the boys were decent…if that's what you could call it.

"I told you to be decent!" Natalie yelled at Terry who was standing in front of the bathroom door, clad only in a towel around his waist.

"I was taking a shower!" Terry defended. "Be thankful I actually got the shampoo out of my hair before you barged in." he suddenly saw Laura standing behind Natalie. "What's going on? Why's Laura here?"

Laura blushed bright red as her gaze met Terry's. The fact that he was wearing nothing but a towel made her concentrate on looking at the floor.

The rest of the 7th year boys laughed.

"You'll be seeing more of that soon enough!" Greg teased. "Might as well get a preview while you can."

Terry threw a pillow at Greg before turning and looking at Natalie.

"What's up? And why did you bring Laura with you?"

"At least get into come CLOTHES." Natalie sputtered. "I can't talk to you like this and Laura here will probably faint before she can get one sentence out."

Terry laughed and went into the bathroom to change. When he emerged, he wore gray sweat pants and a black shirt. He was toweling his hair.

"So what's up?" he finally asked as he sat down on his bed.

"How could you do this to Andrea?!" Natalie yelled.

Terry sighed and threw the towel behind him. He leaned his head back and looked up at the ceiling.

"Not this again." He muttered and then said loudly. "It's none of your business Natalie. It's between me and Andrea. Stop poking your nose where it doesn't belong. You wouldn't understand."

This made Natalie even angrier. "I hooked you two up!" she yelled. "Of course it's my business."

"No, it's not." Terry replied.

"You don't know her!" Natalie finally let out and pointed at Laura. "She's not the sweet and innocent person you think she is. If she was really worth you, don't you think I would have been the first one to say it? She's cruel and mean and doesn't care a whit for other people's feelings."

"Don't say another word Natalie." Terry said standing up and looking down at her angrily. "I won't just stand here and listen to you say such stuff about Laura. I know that you and your fifth year friends have always been cruel to her from the start. Just because she's different doesn't mean-"

"Different?" Natalie asked incredulously. "Is that why you think we act the way we do towards her? Terry she hurt me considerably during our first year here at Hogwarts. She did something to me that was unforgivable! I wouldn't believe it at first but all our dorm mates knew it was her, all the proof of that-that horrible thing pointed towards her. She-she destroyed something that was most precious to me at that time."

"I don't believe you. She's not the type who would hurt her friends on purpose." Terry replied and looked behind Natalie to Laura. "Have you ever thought of hearing her side of the story?"

Natalie was quiet.

"Maybe we should hear what Laura has to say." Terry replied.

Laura took a deep breath and began.

"A year before we started first year, Natalie's sister died. In her will, Natalie was supposed to receive her pure white Persian pet cat, among other things. It was really pretty. When Natalie first came into our dorm all the girls were fawning over it-except me. I was afraid of cats….I still am actually." Laura said looking at Terry. Terry nodded encouragingly. "Natalie and I became really good friends even though I was afraid of her cat. Then about two and a half months into the school year Natalie's cat went missing. Everyone blamed me for it. They said I must have let it loose in the forbidden forest because I was afraid of it."

"Not to mention that you had cat hairs all over your robe." Natalie snapped.

Laura nodded. "It's true I had cat hairs all over my robe but I have no idea how they got there. Later…" Laura looked down at the floor for a minute trying to compose herself. "….later on, they found the cat dead in one of the girls bathroom stalls. Oddly enough, it had one of my hair ribbons wrapped around its neck as if it had been used to suffocate the cat." Laura shuddered as she recalled the white cat lying there with bulging eyes and her ribbon wrapped around its neck.

Terry looked at Laura as he realized that the girl she had had a spat with long ago was Natalie. So everyone blamed her for this. This is why everyone hated her.

"You did it. Don't deny it." Natalie said angrily. "That cat, my sister left it for me. I had always loved it even before it was mine. After my sister died I felt that if I was with that cat I was closer to my sister who had left me and gone to heaven. I still miss her but back then whenever I missed her I could find comfort in merely being near the cat she left me…."

Natalie looked away and brushed away her tears. Greg was startled and moved to comfort her but Terry shot him a look which clearly meant 'stay out of this'. He turned to stare at Natalie.

"She didn't do it." Terry said with finality. "I'm positive she didn't. She's afraid to death of cats. How could she ever pluck up the courage to touch one long enough to kill it? Are you sure it died from suffocation? Did you have it checked for a curse or something?" Terry asked.

Natalie shook her head. "When my friends found it they called me and showed it to me. I was too depressed to do anything about it. They buried it for me near the forbidden forest with Hagrid. All I saw was its body just laying there and the bulging eyes with the ribbon tightly wrapped around its neck. It was enough for me. I couldn't bear to look at it any longer. However, I'm positive it was suffocation."

"Natalie it could be possible that your cat escaped from your dorm on its own and ended up there by itself. Maybe Laura's ribbon was merely being used as a plaything by the cat. Someone else could have seen it there and choked it with that ribbon."

Natalie shrugged. "I never thought of that but it's too much of a coincidence. How did her robe have cat hairs all over it then?"

Laura shook her head and pleaded. "Please trust me Natalie. I didn't do it. I was either framed or maybe your cat walked over my robes at night or something. If I had actually killed your cat I would not have worn those same robes to classes. No one is that stupid. I also would not have used my own hair ribbon to kill it"

Natalie sat down on the floor. "You're right." She said as if she had just realized this. "I'm so confused." She put her head in her hands. "I can't talk about this." With that Natalie stood up and left.

Laura watched her leave and also exited the boy's dorm.

"Wait." Terry called behind her. He came out of the boys dorm and quickly kissed her cheek. "I believe you."

"Thank you." Laura whispered and smiled up at him.

Terry leaned in again and kissed her lips.

Laura pushed him away. "I'm not your girlfriend yet. I told you I wanted time."

"So?" Terry challenged and kissed her again. "That doesn't stop me." To prove his point he kissed her a third time on the lips.

Giggling Laura pushed him away and left for her own dorm.

Meanwhile Terry leaned against the wall and pondered over who could have had such a grudge against Laura as to frame her for such an awful crime.

OooOooOOooOoO

The next day Lily couldn't bring herself to look Derek in the eye. Every time she looked at him she felt guilt wash over her because she had been about to kiss James last night. Worse, she had wanted James to kiss her.

"Are you O.K.?" Derek asked Lily as they walked down to dinner the next day. "You seem out of it today."

"I think we should break up."

Derek turned to look at her stunned. "Wh-whaaat?" He asked as if he couldn't believe what he had just heard. Lily couldn't blame him. She, herself, could hardly believe that she had actually said it out loud.

Lily finally looked up at him and felt wretched. "I'm sorry." She said looking up at him in earnest. "I'm really sorry but I think we should not be together anymore…" she trailed off.

"Why?" Derek asked and brought his arms to clamp her shoulders. "I thought we were going great? I…I love you."

"You don't love me." Lily said smiling at him sadly. "You love going out with Lily Evans. What we have isn't real love."

She knew- she'd already been in love once.

Derek looked down at her steadily. "I'm not going to ask you again. Lily are you sure you want to break up with me?"

Derek stared down at her bent head and Lily felt awful when she finally let the word 'yes' escape her lips. Lily didn't look up as she felt Derek's hands leave her shoulders. She heard him walking away and still didn't look up. She felt like the vilest thing alive right now. She had broken his heart but she knew that it was better this way. She didn't love him but he loved her a lot. It was unfair to have Derek settle for someone like her, who couldn't return his love. He deserved someone who could give him the affection he had a right to. Lily let out a long ragged sigh. Going down to dinner now was something she did not want to do.

"Lily?" asked a tentative voice. She turned to see that it was Sirius who had spoken and that all four Marauders were standing there looking at her. It was obvious that they had heard. She merely had to look at the invisibility cloak in James hand to know why she had not seen them.

Lily put her head in her hands. "Why am I such an awful person?" she asked loud enough for them to hear.

"You're not an awful person Lily." Sirius said. "It's not your fault that you don't like him the way he likes you. Don't tear yourself up over it."

Lily let out another sigh.

"Come on." James urged. "Come with us to Hogsmeade tonight. It was going to be just us guys but you deserve this more than we do. Let's go."

Lily looked towards the corridor leading the Great Hall and then at them for a minute before nodding her head. James settled the invisibility cloak over all of them and the four marauders plus Lily made their way to Hogsmeade.

oOoooooOOOoOOOoOOOOoo

Cassidy looked down at her hands and then at the spot she had saved next to her for Remus. Where was he? Come to think of it, where were all the Marauders? Lily was missing too.

"I just asked Derek." Andrea said as she came to sit across from Cassidy. "Turns out Lily broke up with him."

"What? Then where is she?"

"My best bet-" Andrea began. "-is that the Marauders are trying to cheer her up." Andrea snorted. "Knowing Sirius, they probably took her to Hogsmeade."

Cassidy sighed. "You're probably right. I bet they're at Zonkos right now."

Andrea laughed. "Lily must be begging them to let her come back to Hogwarts. You know how uptight she can be when she wants to."

Cassidy laughed and agreed. Poor Lily, kidnapped and hauled away by the Marauders. She was probably missing the safety of the Great Hall.

OoOoOOoOOOOO

"S-s-Sirius!" Lily said through her laughter. "Take this jinx of off me."

"No can do." Sirius said looking through a book of jinxes at Zonkos. "I can't take it off until I'm positive that you won't be sad anymore."

"S-SIRIUS!" Lily yelled through her laughter. She was laughing so hard that she was bending over now with her hands over her stomach.

"Oh no! Not that jinx again." She heard James say from behind her.

Lily tried to stand up and nod her head but ended up falling backwards. James caught her just in time. He stared down at her laughing face as he held her in his arms and couldn't shake the feeling that this felt so right.

"Hahahhaha. YES….he did….hahahahhaha ….hahahhaa" Lily was able to get out as James held her from behind. James winced.

"You sound like you're drunk." James said testily while all Lily did was laugh. James looked over at Remus helplessly. "Moony as you can see my hands are quite preoccupied. Think you could help me out a little here?"

Remus took out his wand and muttered the counterjinx while still reading his book.

Lily stopped laughing for a minute and then started laughing again as James set her upright.

"This is so much fun." She said turning to look at him quickly. Her head bumped his chin.

"Ow." They both said at the same time and looked at each other sheepishly before bursting out into laughter.

"I better get going." Remus said quietly putting his book down.

Lily and James turned serious. It was a full moon tonight.

"We should all head back then." Lily supplied.

Remus shook his head. "No need. You guys come back at your own pace. It'll be awhile anyway since we can go onto the grounds tonight as it's the weekend."

James nodded. "We'll see you in a bit then Moony."

They watched Remus leave and Lily felt a twinge of sadness for him. She was happy that Remus had friends as faithful as James, Sirius and Peter. At least they made his transformations easier to bear with.

"Right, well how about going to the Three Broomsticks now?" Sirius supplied.

oOoOoOOOOOOo

"Come inside Lily." Peter pleaded as Sirius and James merely looked at her exasperatedly.

"No." Lily said stubbornly. "What if someone we know is in there? What if we get caught? Madam Rosmerta herself could tell Dumbledore that we snuck out of Hogwarts."

"She won't tell." Peter tried to reason. "We come here all the time and she's always nice to us and even teases us about sneaking out. She won't-"

"No." Lily replied. "I'm not taking the chance. My bid for Head Girl could be ruined because of this."

James let out an exasperated sigh. "Wait out here." He finally said. He went into the pub and came back with four bottles of Butterbeer.

Lily could tell that the three Marauders were not happy about this. She insisted on finding a place where they wouldn't bump into someone they knew. They finally sat in an alley between the Hogs Head and some other nameless shop.

"Thank you." Lily said sheepishly as they all sat down in the alley.

"This was not my idea on having fun." Sirius grumbled.

Lily playfully threw a small bit of paper at him that had been lying on the floor. Sirius threw it back at her. Lily in return threw her hat at him and Sirius made to swing the bottle of butter beer at her.

"Eeep!" Lily squealed and hid behind James.

Everyone laughed as Sirius leaned against the wall and opened his bottle of Butterbeer. He swung it around so violently that it sprayed all over.

"Ahhhh!! Get it away" Lily yelled.

James suddenly grabbed her from behind and allowed Sirius to spray his Butterbeer all over Lily. Lily struggled out of James grasp, grabbed a Butterbeer and shook it before opening it, sending a rain of Butterbeer down on everyone.

Their laughter could be heard as far as inside the Hogs Head where the bartender grumbled about the noise.

OoOoOoOoOoOOoO

Wet, sticky and thirsty the four of them trudged back to Hogwarts.

"Wasted all that butterbeer." Lily grumbled.

"Excuse me?" James teased. "What's that I hear? Someone who sprayed TWO Butterbeers complaining about wasting them?"

Lily hmphed. "I was saving that last bottle for myself."

"Ahhh, so you were going to let the rest of us go thirsty?" Sirius observed.

"Pretty much." Lily replied cheekily.

"Why you-" Sirius began and made to grab her.

Lily shrieked and made a run for it through the Hogwarts halls as the three Marauders ran after her. It was James who finally caught her from behind around the waist. He swung her around with him in a circle and started to tickle her.

"Let go!" Lily yelled through her laughter trying to ignore how good his arms felt around her waist.

"Not a chance." James replied and continued to tickle her reveling in the feeling of having his arms around her.

Lily grabbed his hands that were on her stomach to try and stop them from tickling her. James stilled his hands and grasped her hands in his allowing Lily to catch her breath.

Sirius and Peter were doubled over and gasping for breath having run so fast. Lily was taking in huge gulps of air too while James merely held her from behind with his hands grasping onto her hands.

After a minute Lily laughed again and leaned back in James embrace, allowing a warm feeling to start at the pit of her stomach and spread.

"James!" came a new voice.

The warmth in Lily was quickly replaced by a block of ice dropping into her stomach.

Letting go of Lily, James turned to see Rosalyn standing there. Her hair was long and brown with blonde streaks it. She twirled a strand of it in her fingers as she smiled at James, taking in his disheveled appearance. Finally she ran over to him and hugged him unintentionally pushing Lily farther away from James as to give the couple enough room.

"Where were you during dinner today? I missed you." She said smiling up at him. " And why is everyone wet?" she added looking around at them all. She looked up at James and kissed him.

"Oh it's Butterbeer." She said laughing. "Come on you need to get cleaned up." And with that she dragged him away leaving Lily to watch their retreating backs.

Why did she suddenly feel as if she was the third person? She enjoyed James company, but she enjoyed it too much. The feelings she had for James went beyond mere friendship and she knew that. Every time she looked at Rosalyn's smiling face she felt guilty. She felt as if she couldn't face Rosalyn because it was her man she wanted. It was Rosalyn's man that she wanted to be with and be held by.

"Come on Lily." Sirius said suddenly from behind her. "Let's go to the common room."

Lily mutely followed.

OoOOoooOoOoO

"Alright…spill!" demanded Andrea. "Why'd you break up with Derek?"

Lily shrugged and said. "Well I decided to join the bandwagon. You broke up with Terry…I didn't want to leave you all alone in the singles department." Lily joked. "Thought I'd keep you company." She teased.

Andrea rolled her eyes. "Lily out with it."

Lily shook her head. "Honestly….I just felt like it. Things were getting too serious for my taste. He already said he loved me. I….I couldn't look him in the eye anymore…" Lily swallowed, conveniently not adding the reason she had trouble looking Derek in the eye.

OooOoOOo

"How long are you going to stay with her?" Sirius asked James angrily that night. "Don't you see how much it's killing Lily to see you with her?"

James merely looked down at his hands as he sat on his bed. "It's confusing." James finally confessed. "I like Lily, but I like Rosalyn too. Is that even possible?"

Sirius shook his head in annoyance and changed the subject. "Let's go. It's almost time to meet Moony. Maybe a nice walk around the ground will help you clear your mind. I personally think you're in some sort of denial. You're still afraid to go out with Lily because you know how serious your relationship will become. You're afraid of commitment Prongs. Let's face it."

"Look who's talking." James replied. "What are you planning to do with Andrea?"

Sirius shrugged. "She just broke up with her boyfriend. I'm trying to give her space…and time. I'm trying to take things slowly this time….plus…." Sirius sighed. "…plus…I think I'm also kind of scared that she might reject me."

James snorted. "Anyone with half a brain can see that she still likes you. Let's go." James said getting up.

Sirius and Peter followed him out.

A/N: next chapter…..is by far my favorite.hehhehe yes now everyone is eager to read it.lol…I had a lot of fun writing the next chapter and since my birthday is on march 27th, that is the day this favorite chapter of mine will be on id advise everyone to check late night on the 26th cuz that is most likely when I will upload. Or maybe I will upload at exactly 12 o clock.hehe. Um also…yes after this chapter…the event that I have been building up to and planning ever since I continued this story…that event will occur and things will hopefully get really REALLY interesting. Also that chapter will be quite long. It's been writing for awhile now.

Oh yes this bring me to another point.

I have a lot of interesting scenes that I deleted from this story….even certain scenes where james proclaims his love for lily but it was too early in the story for me to add it in. They were spur of the moment writings that just forced me to write that one scene in that one way and then it was like…well if I add this in…then this thing that happens later on will become irrelevant…so even though I really loved a certain scene I had to cut it out. Thus. for the 'advancement of my plot' I had to cut those scenes out. However…now this is totally up to the readers….do you guys want me to upload those deleted scenes under a separate fic titled…deleted/edited scenes from Letters Lead to Love? Also, if you do…do you want me to upload them as I go along? Like as I write one and then cut it out…upload the chapter….then add the deleted scene from that same chapter into the tagalong fic? Or would you prefer that I just upload all those deleted scenes after im done writing this story??? Also im warning you…some of these scenes are totally irrelevant to what actually happens in my story…like for example (don't worry there is no such scene like this that I had to cut out) Lily might be preparing a potion to become animagus or something….but in my story there is no mention of her ever being an animagus or trying to become one. Thus, the reason such a scene is totally irrelevant to my plot.

However I do have some nice l/j fluffy scenes that I couldn't help but write…but then again they hindered 'the advancement of my plot' so I had to cut them out.heheheh. Ok well plz do leave a review and let me know your views on this…proposition I have set forth.Lol sounds like a business deal or something.

OK everybody remember to read and review. If it wasn't for pple constantly reviewing and reminding me to update, this story would never have gotten this far!!!Thank you everyone for being my inspiration!


	22. Chapter 22:Filches mousetrap

Lily was sitting with Rosalyn in the library. It was time for them to leave they were putting their things away. They had stayed unusually late this time, studying together because Rosalyn didn't have to meet up with James.

"He's busy with Marauder stuff tonight." Rosalyn had explained.

Lily smiled, wondering what sort of prank they had up their sleeves. Due to the ever approaching NEWTs and OWLs Madam Pince was also keeping the library open quite late on Friday and Saturday nights. It was already 11 o clock at night. They were the only ones left.

As the two girls stood up they heard frantic foot steps approaching.

Rosalyn smiled as she saw James running towards her, she passed Lily and began walking towards him smiling at the rushed look on his face. Was he that anxious to see her?

It took Rosalyn a second to realize that James had just run past her and had come to an abrupt halt in front of Lily.

"Lily something's happened." James said breathlessly. "It's Filch and his-his-well he's gone overboard this time. His mouse traps have always been complicated but this time-" James stopped short and took in a steadying breath. "He must have gone down to Knockturn Alley or something this time to buy his mouse traps."

"What do mousetraps have to do with Lily?" Rosalyn interrupted curtly. She was miffed that James had totally ignored her.

James suddenly turned as if just realizing she was there.

"I didn't see you." he said lamely and then turned back to Lily. "I'll explain in detail on the way. We need your help."

Lily swallowed and nodded. He began to explain as Lily followed him. However he really didn't need to explain-she already knew. Peter was caught in a mousetrap. Mousetraps usually had charms on them and Charms was her forte. She had gotten Peter out of mousetraps a few times before and had taught the Marauders how to undo the charms on the mousetraps. It must be pretty serious if they were calling her. The last time they had done so had been sometime during the middle of fifth year. After she had taught them however they had never needed her help again.

Worriedly Lily quickened her pace.

"He's in pain." James said and swallowed. "And his movements are getting slower and are not at all as frantic as they usually are when he's caught. I think there's some sort of poison curse on it or something."

Lily walked faster. "We need to hurry." She said fearfully.

They entered the room somewhere in a dark corner of the huge edifice known as Hogwarts. She knelt down and looked at Peter whose tail was caught in a mousetrap. Usually when he was caught he would be struggling frantically, this time however he merely lay there looking helpless and defeated.

"He's stopped moving." Sirius said gravely. "I think…it's like his life is being sucked out…"

"I tried to find out what sort of magic is being used." Remus said gravely and shook his head. "There are very complicated charms placed on this. Filch must be mad to have something like this placed upon mousetraps."

James smiled grimly. "He knows that there is a mouse or rat somewhere in this castle." He gazed at Wormtail and swallowed. "He also knows that whenever said animal gets caught someone sets him free."

There was silence for a split second and then-

"What's going on?!" demanded a new voice. The four humans in the room turned to see the door crash open and Rosalyn enter the room angrily. "I stood there in the library looking like a _FOOL_, while my boyfriend did not even look at me and then my friend followed him out. Both of you totally ignored me back there. I demand to know what is so urgent that you ignored me completely like that! What's this nonsense-?"

"Get out!" James yelled with such anger that even Lily flinched. He had never even used such a menacing tone with her when they fought. "Lily ignore her and concentrate on what you're supposed to be doing." He said quietly but firmly. Lily nodded and went back to muttering spells underneath her breathe to determine what kind of magic had been placed on the mousetrap and what course of action should best be used to counter it. James turned to look at Rosalyn again. "Get out." He said looking at her firmly. He wasn't yelling but his tone held no room for argument.

Rosalyn then did something no one in that room had the courage to do at the moment.

"No." she said to James.

Lily shook her head, even she knew that by doing this right now, it would only irritate James further not get Rosalyn the answers she wanted.

"Get out right now!" James yelled and began to advance on her. He took his wand out. "Don't make me use this on you."

Rosalyn looked at James face and then at the wand in his hand, unwilling to believe the word she thought she was hearing.

"What's going on?!" Rosalyn finally burst out angrily, standing her ground. "You can tell Lily but you can't tell me?! What is it?! I want to know!" she stomped her foot like an angry child.

"I do not want to resort to force." James said ominously lifting his wand. "But if you don't get out I just might have to do that."

"Sirius! Lily! Remus!" Rosalyn yelled looking at them over James shoulder. Her heart sank when she saw that all three were not looking at her.

"Shit!" Lily exclaimed to everyone's amazement. They had never heard her ever use such language before. She turned on Rosalyn with murder in her eyes.

"Rosalyn get out before_ I_ curse you." Lily said turned to look at her vehemently. "You're making me lose my concentration. I almost had it!" she said angrily turning back to her task.

"Had what?!" Rosalyn asked desperately. "Why won't any of you tell me-"

Remus suddenly stood up and in three strides was beside James.

"Get out you silly girl if you know what's good for you!" Remus snapped.

Rosalyn, who had never seen Remus loose control of his temper, suddenly took a step back. She looked to James wondering if he would yell at Remus for talking to her like that.

James merely looked down at her and had his wand in position to use against her. Her eyes brimmed with tears as she turned and slammed the door behind her.

Remus and James rushed towards Lily.

"I-" Lily's voice wobbled. "-I found out how to open the mousetrap." She said shakily. "-but it's not the proper method. The only person who can properly take it off is the one who put the charm on it. It's meant to kill whatever gets caught in it so all the catcher has to do is open the mousetrap and throw the offending animal out." She breathed heavily and bit her lower lip. "I don't know what will happen if I try to take it off. Don't be alarmed." She reassured. "I'm mostly afraid that something might happen to the people around me. I might be able to deflect it if I realize what's going to happen but you guys won't be able to do anything if it hits you because you will have no idea what kind of magic will be cast upon you guys." She looked up at all three of them, not meeting their eyes. "Leave the room. I'll call you in when it's safe."

"B-but-" Sirius began. "-that's too dangerous Lily. We can't let you do this. Maybe if we went into the library and did some research or something-"

"There's no time!" Lily snapped. "This mousetrap was meant to catch a rodent and seep its life little by little out of it! It's cruel." She said looking down at Wormtail sadly. "His energy is being sucked out. I'm not going to sit by and let that happen. Leave the room." She said sternly and looked at all three of them. "I don't have much time. Peter's life is being sucked out as we speak. I will not perform any sort of counter-curse unless you three leave the room."

The three marauders viewed her stony expression and knew that there was no room for argument. Reluctantly the three got up and made for the door.

"And James-" Lily called.

He turned to stare at her helplessly, showing her that he immensely disliked leaving her in the room alone.

She smiled at him softly. "Don't worry. I'll be fine. I'm fast enough to deflect any sort of charm that will aim itself at me. It's you guys I'm worried about. Also-" she bit her lip before continuing. "-you were harsh on Rosalyn. I was too. I'll apologize to her later. You should go now. Nothing is going to happen to me. I'm skilled enough in charms to prevent anything happening. Go to Rosalyn now James. She was heartbroken a moment ago."

James swallowed and looked down at her. 'Why can't I hold you?' he asked himself hopelessly as he looked at the beautiful red head that was looking up at him pleadingly. 'I want to hold you and never let you go. You're smart, brave, stubborn, easygoing and just so perfect.'

"I'll do that." James managed to get out and left the room.

"Go James." Remus said motioning down the hall. "Lily's right. We're here if anything does happen to her. Go."

James looked down the corridor hesitantly. Right now the only place he wanted to be was in that room with Lily. Why then was he walking down the hall that Rosalyn had run down?

A heart wrenching, shrill scream suddenly echoed down the hall. James suddenly stopped in his tracks and felt his his stomach turn into ice. That scream had come from the room Lily was in. He turned on his heel and ran back the path he had just walked down. He ran back into the room that he had left Lily in alone. The door was open and Sirius, Remus as well as Peter were crowded around Lily.

Sirius was using his arms to support Lily who was breathing heavily.

"What's wrong?" James asked going to kneel beside her.

Lily moaned and turned her head away from him, burying it in Sirius' shoulder. "Go away." She moaned as tears streamed down her cheeks. "Go away."

"Lily-" he began and reached for her hand.

He suddenly stopped in horror at what he saw as Remus simultaneoulsy yelled "Don't!"

James looked down at her wand hand to see that it was no longer the beautiful hand he had gazed at so lovingly that night in the common room as she wrote her essay. It was now black and crumpled like that of an old hag who should have died long ago but still lived in.

"Don't look at it!" Lily managed to choke out. "Don't touch it!" she said hysterically. "Just don't be here!" she wept brokenly.

"Does it hurt?" Remus asked her gently.

Lily nodded with her eyes shut tight in pain.

"Can you move it?" Remus questioned.

James looked down at the crumpled, black veined hand as a few fingers moved. _He _couldn't see her like this. He didn't want to see her like this. He felt like he was going to puke. He put a hand over his mouth to try and stifle his gagging. How could this have happened?!

"I didn't know." She moaned half in pain, half in despair. "I didn't know something like this would happen! I didn't know it would go for my hand! Cut it off, do anything. I don't want to see that awful ugly thing! I don't want to go through this pain! OW!" she yelled and writhed as an unexpected pulse of pain went through her hand. "It feels like knives being stabbed into my hand!" she moaned.

James looked down at her hand again. It rested on the cold stone floor quite noticeable against the gray floor with its black hue and purple veins. It was enough to make anyone puke and the first to do so was Peter.

Lily closed her eyes against the retching emitted from Peter as he turned his back to them and emptied the contents of his stomach.

"I know you're all disgusted." She whispered in pain. "Just take me to Madam Pomfrey and leave me there. I don't want you guys to look at it any longer than you have to. I'd go myself if I could-"

"Stop talking nonsense!" James yelled angrily. With a huge deep breathe he reached out and grabbed the very hand that was causing Lily so much pain. He had prepared himself to be sickened by even touching it but to his surprise he felt warm. He felt like he always did when he touched Lily. It didn't matter that the skin he was rubbing his thumb over was no longer smooth and soft but rubbery, wrinkly and weak. He allowed his fingers to fill the spaces between hers and clutched her hand tightly in his.

"We're in this together." He said looking straight into her eyes. "We're not going to leave you like this. We're going to try and fix it and if we can't we'll take you to Madam Pomfrey." He said inclining his head while allowing his thumb to rub the area beneath her thumb where his thumb had ended up as a result of filling the spaces between her fingers with his.

"Does it still hurt?" He asked bringing his other hand to caress her cheek.

Lily looked at him with her huge emerald eyes. The tears trickling down them were more preciou than diamonds to James. She nodded while biting her lower lip.

"But not as much as before." She conceded in a wobbly voice.

James hesitated before letting go of her hand and scooping her up into his arms. He picked her up. "We're taking her to Madam Pomfrey now." He said stonily. "We'll tell her that she saw a mouse and tried to set it free."

Peter paled. "What if I get caught?" He said and swallowed.

"Listen to yourself!" Sirius roared and turned on him. "Look at what has happened to her because she tried to save you! All you can worry about is getting caught?!"

Peter bent his head in shame.

"You won't get caught." Remus said reassuringly. "You just vomited didn't you? We're going to tell madam Pomfrey you're weak because of that. You'll be able to rest in the hospital yourself then and gain back whatever energy you lost."

"She reversed it." Peter suddenly said looking up at them all ashamedly. "She reversed it so that whatever happened to me would happen to her instead. When she reversed it, it obviously opened the mousetrap as the magic holding me suddenly was directed towards her. That magic was meant to kill a mouse or rat but obviously it can't kill a human so the after-effect was this happening to her hand. Also, when she reversed it, she also reversed the side-effects I was suffering from the magic. All my energy came back to me." He explained.

"So that's why….." Remus breathed. "She didn't want us in the room otherwise we would have realized what she was doing."

"You fool." James said looking down at her with her eyes closed in pain. "Either you're very stupid or you're very noble." He whispered. "I respect you now more than I ever have." He acknowledged even though he knew she was too caught up in her pain to hear him. "And I think…" he trailed off suddenly not able to finish the sentence that had been on the tip of his tongue. He suddenly began walking towards the infirmary thankful that the hour was so late.

OOOooOooOo

"What happened to her?" Madam Pomfrey yelled.

"She tried to free a mouse from one of Filch's traps." James explained quickly as he set her down on the bed. "The mouse was freed but-" he motioned over to her hand.

"To do all that for a mouse?!" Madam Pomfrey looked up at James aghast. "Do you even know exactly what she did? I can tell by looking at her hand but can you?"

James shrugged hoping that Madam Pomfrey would underestimate Lily's abilities.

"She didn't know the consequences. She just felt sorry for the little mouse that was dying. She wanted to free it. She thought she could dodge the magic, thinking it was weak as it was meant for a mouse." He explained.

Madam Pomfrey huffed. "Students and their ideals!" she stormed as she poked and prodded at Lily's hand as Lily moaned in pain. With a simple spell Lily was suddenly knocked unconscious.

"Out! I'll take care of her from here!" Madam Pomfrey yelled.

The Marauders turned and left but not before each caste a helpless glance towards the unconscious red head that Madam Pomfrey was now stubbornly attending to.

oooOOooOoOOo

By the next day the whole school knew that something awful had happened to Lily Evans and that she was in the infirmary. James visited her multiple times throughout the day always bringing a book, a magazine or merely something to snack on.

Lily laughed as James entered for the fourth time that morning.

"What you actually came empty handed?" she joked as he sat down beside her.

He smiled and let his eyes stray to her hand. It now had a grayish hue to it but the awful veins had receded and it didn't look as aged as before.

"It's getting better." Lily explained. "The pains gone too due to the potions I was given."

James smiled at her.

"How's everything with you and Rosalyn?" Lily ventured.

James shrugged. He hadn't talked to her at all.

"Is your hand really better?" he asked.

Lily nodded. "It doesn't hurt anymore and I don't feel sick whenever I look at it." She said chuckling.

James smiled at her. She was a vision. Last night she had been so weak but now she was back to her old self. Some sort of instinctive impulse in James wanted to protect her and keep her from ever being that broken and weak again. He wanted to protect her….

"Derek!" Lily suddenly yelped in surprise.

James suddenly turned to see Lily's ex-boyfriend standing behind him. He passed James and went to kneel beside Lily's bed.

"Are you O.K.?" he asked frantically taking her face between his two hands. "What happened? What's wrong?"

Lily laughed. "I-I'm fine." She said. "It's just my hand. Ran into some pretty nasty magic." She explained and lifted her hand up to show him.

Derek suddenly pulled back to look at it.

"Does it hurt?" he asked looking at her.

Lily shook her head. "I'm fine." She assured.

And then to Lily and James surprised Derek suddenly enveloped her in a huge hug.

"Thank God." He whispered and kissed the top of her head. "Lily you don't know how worried I was when I heard. I-" he broke off and kissed her cheek. "I thought-"

He was cut off however when James suddenly pulled him away from Lily and looked at him angrily.

"Who do you think you are coming in her and holding her like that?!" James yelled completely blinded by jealousy and fury. He turned and glanced at Lily angrily and she-she had reveled in his embrace as well. She had let him hug her and kiss her….

"Are you insane?!" Lily yelled angrily. "What do you think you're doing James?"

James turned on her angrily. "What do you think _you're_ doing? I didn't know you were such a-a- loose woman Lily!"

"Loose?!" Lily choked out. "For Gods sake all he did was hug me!! He was worried about me!"

James merely looked down at her angrily. "My apologies Evans." He said coolly. "I'll let you and your friend-" he spat looking at Derek contemptuously. "-have your privacy."

Lily shook her head and watched him go angrily.

"Idiot." She muttered and then looked at Derek.

Derek turned to watch James leave.

"What's wrong with him?" Derek asked turning to look at Lily.

Lily shrugged. "James will be James. He's so childish, always wanting all the attention." Lily shook her head.

"Are we really over Lily?"

Lily suddenly looked up and felt her heart constrict at the look in Derek's eyes. He looked so sad and heartbroken.

Lily forced herself to nod. "I'm afraid so." She finally admitted.

Derek looked back to the exit of the infirmary. "It's Potter isn't it? You like him?"

Lily nodded not meeting Derek's eyes. "I'm sorry." She whispered.

Derek reached out a hand to thread through hers. "Then can we be friends at least?" he looked at her sincerely.

Lily smiled. "I'd like that." She admitted.

Derek smiled at her and stood up. "I better leave."

OoOOoo

It was time for Lily to be discharged from the infirmary. To her surprise James was the only one who came to help her.

"Where's everyone else?" Lily wondered as she handed her overnight bag to James.

James shrugged.

"I told them I'd handle it." He muttered. "I wanted to talk to you..." he suddenly began and looked up at her as they began walking out of the Hospital Wing. "I'm sorry about exploding at you earlier." He admitted.

"It's okay." Lily assured.

"I don't know why I did what I did." James said quietly. "I mean it's none of my business if you're still going out with Derek. I-I'm really sorry." He ended.

"I'm not going out with Derek though." Lily said looking at James "We're just friends James and he was worried about me as a friend. We're not going out anymore."

James suddenly turned and smiled at her unable to explain the sudden joy he felt at her not going out with Derek.

James smiled at her. "You want to escape down to Hogsmeade for awhile after we put your things in your dorm?"

"With the Marauders?" Lily asked eagerly.

James quirked an eyebrow. "Who else?"

"I'd love to." Lily said smiling at him. She suddenly turned serious. "But before you do-" she began. "-you need to go and talk to Rosalyn. She's really heartbroken James. She's also a really nice girl, please don't blow your chance with her. Guys would die for a girl like her. Count yourself lucky she's still pining after you."

James suddenly felt his smile slip off his face. Lily was right. Guys would love to have a chance with Rosalyn. Why was he more interested in spending time with Lily than reconciling with Lyn? "It's because Lily is my really good friend.' James decided firmly banishing the little voice in his mind that insisted otherwise.

OooOoOoOo

"James I love you so much!" Rosalyn said crying into his shirt. "I know I've never told you this but I'm telling you now I love you! How could you be so cruel to me!"

James merely held her as she cried. "I'm sorry." He finally whispered.

"Sorry isn't good enough." Rosalyn sobbed and hit him on the chest. "You were so m-m-meaaann."

James looked down at her. The rush of attraction he had always felt for her…..what happened to it? He still liked her he supposed but the urgency to be with her, the need to be with her 24/7 and the conviction that she was the one for him, had it fled momentarily?

James sighed and merely held her tighter. Rosalyn merely began to cry harder because James hadn't said he loved her as well.

A/n: boy for some reason i feel so depressed after writing this! anyway...next chap is the chap that is what id ike to call the true turning point in the story!!! i have been waiting to writ this thing ever sinc ei began continueing my story...n now im gonna have alot of fun with the diff...'adventures' i put in.

anyway...next chap...not this weekend but weekend after that. In other words check back around the 7th of april or maybe even a few days sooner n hopefully u will find an update!!! and after that update...all u have to do is wait a few more chaps and i will have ooodles and oodles of chapters filled with major l/j action bc i decided that after writing about the trails their relationship goes through...the onoly way to do justice to this story wou dbe to write how they become a close couple and overcome most barriers that couples find themselves trying to overcome...(e.g. insecurities about ur partners previous bfs/gfs, lack of commmunication when something ur partner did ticks u off but u dont relay it...all that good stuff hehehehehhe n yes there will be major fluff as well as some scenes with alot of violence in them(Voldemort has to enter the picture somehow)...well not alot...but enuf to make me hesitate...)


	23. Chapter 23:Fighting again?

"We're going in!" said James furiously, motioning towards the Three Broomsticks.

"No, we're not!" Lily replied just as heatedly as the other Marauders watched them bicker. "If we get caught-"

"We won't get caught!" James yelled. "Madam Rosmerta won't say a word! I swear to you she won't! We've been here tons of times and have never been caught!"

"I won't go in!" Lily yelled for lack of a better argument to defend her stance with.

"Even if you don't go in, the whole world is watching us fight right here in the middle of the street, right outside the Three Broomsticks! If we were supposed to get caught don't you think we would have been by now?" James asked exasperatedly.

Lily merely looked at him angrily refusing to back down. James rolled his eyes, grabbed her hand and pulled her into the Three Broomsticks only to bump right into a huge giant of a man. Looking up James felt the pit of his stomach drop. He was staring straight up at Hagrid and from the look on the gamekeepers face he had already heard their fight.

James swallowed, Lily gasped, the other three Marauders looked on warily and Hagrid looked livid.

OoOoOoOooO

"S'pose yeh give me one good reason why I shouldn't report all five ye tuh Dumbledore?" Hagrid demanded once they had reached his cottage.

Lily looked down at her hands.

"How about it we assure you we'll never do it again?" Peter asked hopefully.

Hagrid snorted. "Like I'd believe ye. Ye've been into Hogsmeade loads o' times. Might have tuh have a word with Rosmerta about letting yeh boys in so easily." He said stroking his beard. He looked at Lily sharply. "Never expected this of ye Lily." He turned to look at the four boys who were known for their notoriety in such matters.

"You fouh are already in enough trouble to get expelled fuh summat like this." He held up his hands to emphasize. "Filches folder of ye four is this thick!"

Even Sirius was quiet, merely nodding and agreeing with whatever Hagrid was saying.

Lily swallowed. She could practically see her bid for Head Girl going down the drain.

"Don't lemme catch ye again." Hagrid warned. "Or else I'll go straight up tuh Dumbledore. Off ye go now." He smiled at Lily. "There, there nothing to be upset abou'. You won't get into trouble Lily. It'll be just between us." He winked at her and Lily smiled.

It wasn't until they were nearing the castle that Sirius smiled and said. "That was close."

Lily suddenly turned on all four of them. "We almost got caught!" she yelled shrilly. "Scratch that…we WERE caught! All it takes is for Hagrid to go up to McGonagall or Dumbledore and we-"

"He won't." Sirius said in a bored voice. "He acts all strict and mighty, but he's actually an old softie. He may have acted in front of you like it's the first time he's caught us but in truth he's caught us numerous times and all we get is a lecture, a warning and then he sends us off back to school." Sirius shrugged. "All we have to do is nod our heads, agree with him, maybe pet Fang for a few minutes and we're free."

Lily shook her head. "No more escapades guys. It's too dangerous."

James shook his head. "Lily-" he began patiently. "-we do it all the time. Calm down."

"Then you do it." Lily said sternly. "I for one am never going on another one of those escapades again."

OooOoOooOO

"Why are we back here?" Lily asked tiredly. "It's Sunday morning and you woke us up and dragged us all the way to Hogsmeade for what? Need I remind you four that we almost got caught yesterday?"

They were back in Hogsmeade with Cassidy and Andrea along for the ride this time. All three girls were drained due to lack of sleep, while the boys chattered animatedly.

"There's supposed to be a parade today." Peter explained excitedly. "We'll go back once it's over."

"This better be good." Andrea mumbled angrily. "Woke us up so early in the morning." She muttered. Sirius suddenly came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. Andrea stiffened.

"Don't you remember when I brought you here last year?" he whispered into her ear. "You liked the parade back then. I wanted to bring you again…" he trailed off as Andrea pushed off his arms.

"I remember." She replied moving to try and get to the front. "Sirius this was my favorite parade. They have Hippogriffs and Mermaids in this one. How could I forget the parade that commemorates the day Hogsmeade was founded?" she asked herself laughingly, hoping that Sirius would not try to hold her again.

To her immense relief, Sirius merely made to move ahead of her. Suddenly, he grabbed her hand and pushed through the crowd to get them to the front. The parade began in the morning and ended around noon, followed by a festival which included dancing, singing and games for little children. Unfortunately Hogwarts had never allowed its students to attend this event. Most students were not even aware that such a celebration took place.

Remus stood at the back of the crowds with his arm around Cassidy. Lily, James and Peter stood a little way away waiting for the parade to begin.

"This is my first time." Lily admitted to James and Peter. She looked up at James. "You should have brought Rosalyn too."

James merely did what he always did these days when Rosalyn's name was brought up. He shrugged. For some reason, he had lately been very confused about his feelings towards Rosalyn. He liked her….so why was he feeling the way he did? Why did he want to show this parade to Lily instead of Rosalyn? The boys had usually brought their girlfriends to this parade. Remus had brought Cassidy this time and because Sirius liked Andrea he had brought her. Peter didn't have a girlfriend but James did and he hadn't brought her. Instead, he had brought Lily. He sent Lily a sideways look. She was talking to Peter and asking him questions about the parade. James looked down at his hands completely perplexed. He should have asked Rosalyn…it would have been uncomplicated with her. She would have looked up at him sweetly and smiled and laughed with him….

"Seems like someone is off in lalaland." Lily said smirking. "James maybe _you_ should head back to Hogwarts and go to sleep."

James chuckled. Roslyn would definitely not have teased him the way Lily did. He arched an eyebrow at her.

"Look who's talking Miss I'll-never-come-back-here-again."

Lily laughed. "I wouldn't be here if you hadn't threatened to tie me up and force me to come." She reminded. "But I'm glad I did come." She said off handedly. "This is going to be fun."

James looked at her and felt his heart grow warm as she excitedly began craning her neck for a glimpse of the beginning of the parade.

ooOooOoOOooOooO

Andrea watched as a band of fairies throwing flowers fluttered past them, inaugurating the parade. Sirius was holding her hand. She calmly moved her hand out of his grasp and continued to watch the parade.

Sirius looked at her for a minute before again reaching to grab her hand. Andrea pulled away again. He didn't try a third time and sighed regretfully.

oOoOoooOOOoOOOoo

"Thank you Lily." James whispered into her ear as she stood watching the parade.

Lily quickly turned to look at him oddly.

"For doing what you did for Peter." He explained with an odd tender light in his eyes.

Lily took a step back. He was close enough that their chests were practically touching. She couldn't handle the euphoria that came with James being so close to her.

James ignored her slight retreat and plowed on. "I remembered-" he breathed, looking into her eyes. "-I remembered that last year on Wizardnet you told me about the low pain tolerance you have. You said you would cry your eyes out at the slightest scrape when you were a little kid." His eyes flicked down to her wand hand and he reached out to clasp it loosely. "You're a true Gryffindor Lily. I just want you to know that I know how hard it was for you to do what you did for Wormtail. I know better than anyone how hard it must have been for you." He gave her hand a small squeeze. "I wanted you to know that."

Lily looked at him for a minute, drowning in his hazel eyes until a little boy ran by, bumping slightly into her. Shaking herself out of her stupor she rid herself of James hand and turned around to again look at the parade.

After a minute of uneasy silence Lily decided she had to say something.

"Let's move forward." She said. "I can barely see anything way in the back."

James simply nodded and using his tall frame plowed a way through for himself and Lily.

"Dumbledore should allow the students to come up and see this." Lily commented as James pushed his way through the crowd with Lily behind him.

"He probably would if it wasn't for the fact that only a certain number of Hogsmeade visits are allowed per year. The students would either have to give up the last Hogsmeade trip of the year or one of the Hogsmeade trips given because of approaching holidays to come and see this parade." James explained.

"You know so much." Lily commented. "You know the workings of the school even better than me."

James smiled wryly. "My dad used to be a board member."

Lily stilled and watched him continue walking. He rarely ever talked about his father. She knew it hurt a lot to talk about him. She also knew that he had never talked to her about his father unless of course he was Jeremy talking to Lizzy….

Lily ran to catch up with him as the crowds began closing the gap between the two of them.

OoOooOoOOoOOoOoo

"Must you always argue with me?!" James yelled an hour or so later, the parade completely forgotten by the two.

Lily shook her head. "You make it sound like I like arguing with you!" she flung back. "I'm just more mature than you are and know how to look at things sensibly! It's been a long time. We need to get back. People are waking up-our absence will begin to be noticed by everyone and if Hagrid notices it he might get suspicious. We need to go back!"

"Why don't you go back?" James retorted. "Some of us would rather stay here." He looked around expectantly at everyone. No one argued with his statement.

Lily looked at her friends'.

"Traitors!" She muttered before adding in a louder voice,

"Fine then. Don't come crying to me when you all get expelled!" and with that she turned and left in a huff.

James watched her leave with mounting aggravation.

"Stupid woman." He mumbled and ran to catch up with her. Upon reaching her he replied gruffly to her cold, questioning look. "I can't let you walk back alone."

Lily suddenly giggled, her anger gone. James was actually swallowing his pride and walking back to school with her. James cast a sideways glance her way and grinned.

"We're awful aren't we?" She asked with a giggle. "We fight worse than wives at a fish market."

James laughed. "It wouldn't be us if we didn't fight."

Lily laughed some more and shook her head. "We used to have these same squabbles as Jeremy and Liz. Remember?"

James nodded and smiled reminiscently. "Do you remember the time when we stayed up until 5 in the morning chatting, keeping ourselves awake through five cups of coffee? I had to drink black coffee without sugar", he scrunched up his face, "Bitter."

Lily laughed harder. "James we were so hyper on caffeine, we were talking about CHEESE!"

James shook his head. "That was one of the most random conversations I have ever had."

"Oh I don't know…the conversation about whether or not the sorting hat is cleaned periodically was more of a random conversation."

James burst out laughing. "I remember that!" he exclaimed.

"I should hope so!" Lily exclaimed. "We promised that one day we would ask Dumbledore ourselves!"

James chuckled. "What about the time I played a prank on you through wizard net?"

"I should have known then that it was one of the Marauders." Lily growled playfully. "You made my nose grow longer than Pinocchio's!" she burst out.

"If I recall correctly YOU were the one to tell me about the Muggle cartoon and thus give me the idea." James confirmed.

Lily hmphed.

"You deserved it." He replied. "You kept lying to me and saying that you'd been on wizard net for the past hour waiting for me but had merely been in a different chatroom." He quirked an eyebrow at her. "I know for a fact that you were not on, but rather came on an hour late. Do you still deny it?"

Lily nodded her head violently and suppressed a smile knowing that denying it was futile but still doing so. " I was, I was! I waited for a whole hour!" Lily said unconvincingly.

James took his wand out. "Need I repeat my last reaction?"

Lily laughed. "All right, all right I was late! I'm sorry!"

James smirked. "I forgive you." He began to walk ahead of her chuckling.

Lily looked at him with narrowed eyes and her eyes widened in horror as she found that she could SEE her nose.

"Potter!" she yelled and saw the figure called James take off at a run.

OooOoOooO

"I had to walk all the way to Honeydukes like that!" Lily burst out as they entered the castle.

James grinned. "It was rather funny. Children must have been scared seeing a demented red head with an overly large nose running after me and screaming at me."

Lily cast him a withering glance. "They probably thought I was mental."

"They were probably more preoccupied with why your nose reached me before the rest of you." James replied smartly.

Lily gave him a disgruntled look and continued. "I probably looked like a fool."

"That you did." He acknowledged and poked her in the side. Lily poked him back. He poked her back. Lily pointed to something behind James. He turned to look.

"I can't believe you fell for that." Lily said and tsked after a quick poke at James ribs. She then turned to leave.

James watched her leave and realized with horror that now he could see his nose!

Lily smiled as his explosive "EVANS!" erupted around the corridor.

Oh yes….revenge is sweet.

OoOOoOo

"Lily what do I do?" Rosalyn asked desperately later on that night. She looked at Lily weakly. "I love him." She squeaked out. "I love him so much it hurts."

Tears began to fall out of her eyes. "I've tried everything-everything!" she emphasized and Lily began to wonder what exactly fell under everything. "To get him to fall for me! I've played hard to get! I've played the attentive girlfriend! I've given him space- I haven't been clingy! It's not working!"

Lily looked at Rosalyn and felt nothing but compassion for her. She knew how it felt-to love James and not have him love you back. Lily took a deep breath and prepared herself for what she was about to do. She knew herself that even if James came back to her and begged and pleaded and proclaimed that he loved her, not Rosalyn, Lily would not take him back. All for the reason that she loved him too much. She would never let him hurt her the way he already had. The best way to get out of it was give him no more chances to hurt her. Her tolerance to pain, physical or mental, was very low. She could not handle pain and Lily loathed herself for it. However, the question was which of the two was more painful? Seeing James with Rosalyn or having James and then loosing him all over again?

Lily decided that if she did have James again she would probably fall deeper in love with him resulting in more hurt in the end when he went for another girl like last time. It was better this way. He would have Rosalyn- the girl all the guys wanted and Lily would be free. Lily steeled herself to do what she was about to do.

"You don't spend enough time with each other." Lily began.

"We spend as much time as we can!" Rosalyn burst out. "We're in different houses though."

"My friends-" Lily began evasively. "-have boyfriends in different houses. do you know how they overcome the distance between them?"

Rosalyn shook her head.

Lily smiled wryly and grimaced inwardly as she continued. "They write letters."

OooOooO

"Remus." Cassidy whispered as she snuggled next to him on his bed in the boys' dormitory. "I love you."

Remus looked down at Cassidy and kissed the top of her head.

"I love you too Cass." He whispered and held her tighter.

"If anything ever happens to me-" Cassidy began, looking up at him pleadingly. "-promise me Remus that you'll move on."

Remus looked at her horrified. "What the bloody hell are you talking about?"

Cassidy shook her head. "Remus it's taken me so long to batter down your defenses and strip away the barriers you had put up around yourself. It took me so long!" she emphasized and reached out to touch his cheek. "I can't bear to see you retreat into that shell if tomorrow we aren't together anymore."

"Are you saying that you don't want to be with me anymore?" Remus asked hoarsely pushing her hand away from his cheek.

Cassidy shook her head and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"No!" she exclaimed forcefully. "No Remus that's not what I'm saying at all!! I love you! How could I…."she sighed and kissed his cheek. "I'm just saying that if tomorrow I'm not with you, I don't want you to retreat into your shell. I want you to live, for me." She pleaded. "Live and move on and don't be afraid to forget me and fall in love again, Remus. Don't hold yourself back just because I never moved forward."

"What are you talking about?" Remus asked oddly and crushed her to him. "Nothing bad is ever going to happen to you Cassidy. Why do you think that?"

Cassidy rubbed her cheek against his shoulder.

"I'm scared for you." She murmured. "I'm scared what will happen to you if anything bad ever _does_ happen to me."

Remus shook his head, pulled back and kissed her.

"Nothing-" he began resolutely. "-is going to happen to you Cass."

Cassidy sighed and kissed him back but for some reason he was more demanding then usual. Maybe it was because of the things she had said that he suddenly felt a possessive need within him to assure himself that she was his and would always be his. Before Cassidy knew it she was being pushed back into Remus's bed with him on top practically molding her to him.

She gently tried to make him realize what he was doing.

"Remus." She whispered gently trying to make him stop his onslaught of kisses down her neck. "Remus." She gasped as it got harder and harder for her to control her own growing ardor. "Remus.." she moaned never wanting him to stop but yet using her palms flat on his chest to push him away.

She knew the exact moment when he suddenly realized what he'd been trying to do and more importantly where.

Cassidy sat up in his bed and smiled at him. She cupped his face in her hands.

"I'm not going anywhere Remus." She murmured and leaned in to kiss him gently, very unlike the passion they'd shared just now. "I'm right here." She whispered in his ear and allowed him to hug her.

"I'm sorry." He whispered in her ear. "I guess I was going overboard for a minute there."

Cassidy smiled in understanding. She wouldn't lie, she had wanted it to but she wouldn't allow what she wanted to override her principles as well as common sense.

"It's all right." Cassidy whispered. "Walk me to my dorm room." She murmured before getting up from his bed, quickly checking to make sure her appearance gave nothing away, before turning to smile at Remus. He smiled impishly up at her, took her proffered arm and pulled her back onto the bed where he proceeded to tickle her senseless.

"Remus!" she giggled. "Sto-stop!" and then she couldn't get another word out because he was tickling her so hard.

"Hey, hey you're going to suffocate my baby sister!" exclaimed a new voice.

Remus stilled and looked up to see Sirius entering the room and smiling at them good naturedly.

Remus smiled and tried to quiet the voice inside of him that said

'There was much more I wanted to do to your baby sister.'

"Remus was walking me back to my dorm." Cassidy said suddenly standing up and pulling Remus along with her.

Sirius smiled at them and watched as they left. When he was sure that they were gone he quickly performed the charm he always did on Remus's bed after he'd left both of them alone in the dorm for a significant amount of time.

The charm was simple, if the bed glowed blue everything was fine, if it ever glowed purple god help Remus because Sirius would definitely kill the bastard for sleeping with his sister.

oOoOoOooOoOoOoOoOoO

"Can't talk James." Rosalyn said as he met her in the Great hall. She shoved a letter into his hand and kissed him on the lips. "Please, please go along with this for me? I think that it's easier for me to share my feelings with you in a letter. I'm trying to bridge the communication gap we have between us. I think that because of us being in different houses you can't know my true personality and I can't know yours. It's better if we start writing letters. Some things are easier to say and convey in letters." Rosalyn looked up at him pleadingly. "Promise me you'll write back?"

James clutched the letter Rosalyn gave him in his hand and looked at with a mixture of irony and curiosity.

He looked up at Rosalyn after what seemed like an eternity and nodded.

Ooooooo

"Do you take me for a fool?" a voice spoke up that night in the common room.

Lily looked up from reading her book to see James standing in front of her angrily. She looked at him, confused.

He threw a crumpled paper at her.

"I know you support Rosalyn and me." James said harshly. "But do not make fun of what we had by doing something as despicable as this."

Lily let her mouth drop open. "How'd you-"

"Know it was you that dictated that letter to Rosalyn?" he asked bitterly. "Because I would know you anywhere. You put your soul into your writing Lily, I'd recognize your soul anywhere. The way you phrase sentences, the type of words you use when you write-especially to me-do you think I'm stupid enough to not know when it is you?"

Lily shifted uncomfortably. "I only wanted to help your relationship with Ros-"

"Stop it." James said harshly. "Just stop it. You've insulted me and what we had beyond belief by doing this. I can't believe you were planning to write Rosalyn's letters for her to me. You were making a farce out of our previous relationship. How could you-" his voice broke slightly and he swallowed audibly before continuing. "How could you use what we had against me in such a way? You were trying to manipulate my feelings. You were trying to use them and divert them to Rosalyn…I'm disappointed in you." He finally ended

Lily looked up defiantly. "What we had was nothing." She said with an air of finality. "Grow up James. What we had on wizard net was nothing. It was just a little girl and little boy with fanciful ideas of love." With that she turned and left not realizing that she had hurt James beyond belief.

He now knew now what the phrase 'She ripped my heart out and stepped on it' meant.

OooOoOo

"Why did you agree to it?!" James raged at Rosalyn the next morning.

Rosalyn looked up at him defiantly. "Because you're hurting me James." She said steadily. "You're hurting me more than you know."She said quietly. " The first time I ever say I love you to a boy and he doesn't say it back. Sometimes I start to think that maybe you like someone else now instead of me. Do you know how much you're hurting me? I feel like my heart is breaking every time I look at you because another woman might be flitting around in your heart and mind." She faltered. "When we started going out I didn't…I wasn't planning on falling for you James." She said quietly. "I've gone out with a lot of boys in the past….I've never loved any of them…felt for any of them what I feel for you. James you're hurting me and I'm not going to keep quiet about it. I'm telling you to your face that if you treat all the girls that love you like this you're going to end up alone."

James looked down at her stonily before turning on his heel and leaving. Rosalyn flinched inwardly as she watched him leave. Never in her life had she laid herself so bare and vulnerable to a boy as she had now done to James. She had never ever been rejected by a boy; she had always been the one to reject them. She sighed and rubbed her eyes. Was this how the boys had felt when she had rejected them? Was this her due for not returning the love of endless boys that had professed their love for her?

OoOOoOo

"Can we talk?" Lily asked tentatively the next morning as James made ready to leave the common room for breakfast with his friends. James looked at her for a moment before nodding to Sirius, Remus and Peter, who left.

He turned to look at Lily expectantly.

Lily took a deep breath and stuck her hand out. In it was a scroll.

"Another letter?" James asked curtly with a raised eyebrow.

Lily smiled wryly.

"I owe you an apology James. I'm really sorry. I- our relationship…."her voice faltered and she closed her eyes. "It meant a lot to me James. Our relationship meant a lot to me. I was just angry when I said what I said but we need to look at the facts. We were idyllic kids back then." She opened her eyes."We're much more practical now. What are the chances now of either of us ever falling in love with someone in a place as dangerous as a chatroom? What are the chances of even you and me ever getting together James? We've learned from our mistakes……especially me." She added dryly.

She shoved the paper into his hand and James opened it. To his surprise a handful of bits and pieces of parchment fell out to land in a heap at his feet.

Lily smiled sadly. "Those are all the pieces of paper we tried to write to you on. Count the pieces if you wish as well as the sentences on the scroll that I sat and wrote but crossed out because it was too painful for me to continue." She took a deep breathe. "However I know how many pieces of paper lie at your feet. I-I-" her voice began to shake and she took another breath and looked him straight in the eye with overly bright eyes. Her voice shook.

"It took me 23 tries James, before I could bring myself to think up a proper letter f-from Rosalyn- " she choked but swallowed. "-to you." She closed her eyes. "I'm not telling you this because I want you to feel sorry for me- " she began. "I'm telling you this to show you how much our relationship meant. It hurt so much to have to sit down and write a letter to you after so long….so much…." She swallowed again and opened her eyes. "It was everything to me James, everything. You've become one of my closest friends; please don't stay angry at me…"

James didn't reply. Instead he extended his arms and crushed her into a fierce hug.

"Could I ever stay mad at you for a long time Lily?"He whispered into her hair reassuringly. "Could I ever rob myself of the pleasure of being your friend?" he rubbed his chin over the top of her head. "Lily you're gradually becoming one of my closest friends. I was angry at you." He admitted. "But I wouldn't have stayed angry at your forever." He pulled away and looked at her with a small smile and was startled when he felt the urge to kiss away her tears. Instead he settled for using his thumb to wipe them away.

"Come on." He cajoled. "Our fights are a day to day occurrence. It would be stupid of me to never be friends with you again over one of our stupid fights. Lily…" he said in a pleading tone as more tears filled her eyes. "…you have to stop crying or your eyes will get all red and puffy. They'll clash with your hair." He pointed out teasingly. "Then how will you be able to go down for breakfast? You'll end up going back to your dorm and missing breakfast and-" he concluded. "-I won't go down to breakfast without you. Are you really going to deny me my morning meal? I'm starving here."

Lily giggled despite herself.

"You look so adorable right now." He said leaning in to spontaneously kiss her cheek before he knew what he was even doing. A sudden surge of affection went through him as his lips met her soft cheek and he wanted to take her in his arms and hold her tight. Lily, however, suddenly backed away and shot him a panicked look.

"James" she began startled.

James looked at her for a minute before grinning ruefully. "I-it's not what you think it is." He began. "I was just trying to show how much I like you….as a friend." He concluded and suddenly realized that he felt the back of his neck turning red. Right. As a friend…as a friend….

Lily let out a sigh of relief. Her tears now long gone she accompanied him down to breakfast where he said that he needed to talk to Remus about something important and would see her after breakfast.

OOoOoOoooo

James sighed as he saw an owl land in front of him. He absent-mindedly opened the letter knowing already who it was from. It was, as always, Julie, his older sister, who continuously pestered him to decide what he wanted to do when he got out of Hogwarts. He always wrote to her that he had yet to make up his mind. How could she expect him to know when most of the seventh years didn't know? His classes however currently dealt with Auror training.

James opened the letter and his eyes widened at its contents.

OooOoOo

"So who wants to go?" James asked. He turned to address the area of the common room where the seventh years were sitting. "You guys can come too. My sister offered a tour of the Ministry of Magic for fifth years and above. I think it's a good idea-especially for those of us who really don't know what we want to do with our lives."

"Do we get to get out of school for a day?" Greg asked.

James grinned. "I wouldn't be a Marauder if I didn't guarantee that."

Everyone began clamoring to get a form from James which they had to fill out, in order to go on the tour.

"I think it's a fantastic idea." Lily said as she sat with Natalie and filled her form out. "We'll get to see how life is, as a worker for the Ministry of Magic. I've always wanted a job there but I've always wondered whether I'd like working there or not. Doesn't it just get boring going in day after day and sitting behind a desk doing paperwork."

"There are different types of jobs." Rosalyn suddenly piped up as she came to sit beside Lily and Natalie. "Not all jobs at the ministry require you to work behind a desk and do boring paper work. My dad is an artifacteologist. He looks at old artifacts of the magical world and tries to figure out what their purpose was. It's quite 'interesting'."

"Is that what you want to do?" Lily asked.

Rosalyn shook her head. "For some reason I've always had more of an interest towards plants. I'd like to be a Herbologist." She said dreamily and then sighed. "Only 1 more month until I graduate."

"Don't remind me." Natalie moaned. "The closer your graduation gets the closer my OWLs get!"

Everyone laughed. "You'll do fine." Andrea quipped from her position on the floor.

"Speaking of graduation." Said a new voice. Lily looked up to see James and Sirius standing behind Andrea. "Lyn did you ask your parents about coming over to my place for the summer?"

Rosalyn nodded.

"What about the rest of you?" James asked looking up.

Everyone except Lily nodded.

"I can't. My mom won't let me." Lily said. She was lying through her teeth.

"Why not?" James asked.

"Um, my dad's taking us somewhere for a summer vacation so…" Lily trailed off helplessly. "Sorry James."

James was suddenly kneeling down beside Lily's chair.

"But I really wanted to spend the summer with you." He said quietly looking up at her, perplexed. "We've become such good friends…" he smiled at her. "My summer's not going to be the same without you Lily. It's going to be so boring now."

Lily forced a laugh. "You'll survive. Besides you've got everyone else to keep you company."

James gave Lily's unsuspecting hand a quick squeeze before standing up.

"How about if we all get down on our knees beg your parents not to drag you along?" James joked. "You think that'll work?"

Lily laughed and shook. "My moms got this thing where she wants us all to spend time with each other."

Everyone nodded in understanding. Family trips…everyone knew how adamant parents were about all their kids attending.

"When do you leave?" Sirius asked.

'What was this, 50 questions?' Lily asked herself. It was getting harder and harder to lie to these people.

"Oh about….two weeks after school gets out and we'll probably be back right before school starts." Lily said.

"How about spending at least a week at James place?" Rosalyn added.

Lily let her shoulders sag in defeat. "I suppose I could ask my mom." She said dully.

"Great. It's settled." James said happily. He took Rosalyn by the arm and left with her through the portrait whole.

"I'm sorry Lily." Andrea said sympathetically. "I know you really don't want to go."

Lily shrugged. "Oh well…what's one week?"

OoOOOooOoO

"Happy now James?" Rosalyn asked as they walked down the Hogwarts halls. "Now everyone is coming-even Lily. We'll have a huge party."

"I wish she could stay for longer than just one lousy week though." James said dejectedly. "She's fun to be around."

Rosalyn nodded. "She's so spontaneous. Like she'll be all prim and proper one minute but wild and crazy the next. It's like you're never bored when you're with her. Who knew that Lily had such a personality behind that cool exterior she always puts on?"

James grinned reminiscently. He'd known….he'd always known. The 'Liz' he had gotten to know so long ago was finally showing herself to the rest of the world, or rather to him. She had always shown herself to her closest friends but back then he hadn't known this. He suddenly looked over at Rosalyn. He sighed.

When it came to Lily versus Rosalyn why did he become so confused? He loved the Lily he had gotten to know over wizard net but he was afraid. He had finally been able to admit that to himself. He had been afraid that that was not the real Lily. Maybe the Liz Lily had shown on wizard net had been fake, he was afraid that he'd commit himself to Lily only to be disappointed. Now he'd gotten to know Lily better, she was opening up slowly but she still wasn't there…he couldn't see the woman he loved inside of her. But then again was it really fair to try and substitute Roslyn for Liz? He didn't know. All he knew was that at this moment…right now….he felt something towards Rosalyn. He had kissed her spontaneously and he had been a fool to do so. But he was scared…scared of committing himself to Lily and then finding out that they weren't really meant to be. He wasn't as scared with Rosalyn. Maybe that was what had attracted him to her initially. The fact that his relationship with Rosalyn would screw up one day was not as daunting as having his relationship with Lily get shattered. He didn't want to take the risk.

He'd rather keep her a dear friend forever rather than go out with her and then break up with her never to see her again. He was too hotheaded and so was she. They would eventually fight and break up. Hell they always fought. An explosion was bound to happen whenever they were together. He didn't fight with Rosalyn. It was a simple and tranquil relationship. A relationship bound to go on forever….did he want it to go on forever?

These thoughts were banished from James mind as Rosalyn leaned in and gave him one of her mind blowing kisses.

OOOooOoOOoOOOo

"We're almost out of here!" Lily said excitedly and threw a stone into the lake. "Only a month until summer and I can relax!"

Derek smiled at her. They were friends now but Lily wouldn't allow them to be more than that. But he wanted so much more. He would wait though…

He liked watching her for some reason. Maybe it was the fact that she was so naïve and yet full of life. He had never met a girl like her before, she was unique. She was pretty no doubt but her inner beauty was even more so. What caught a guy was her beauty but what kept him there was her personality.

"It might be a happy thing for you." Derek spoke up. "But for me it's a sad thing. I'll never come back here again." He said looking around the grounds.

"You'll come visit me won't you?" Lily suddenly asked turning to look at him.

Derek smiled and ruffled the top of her head. "I'll come and visit whenever I get the chance."

Lily smiled up at him.

"Do you know how effin hard it is to have you sitting beside me and not being able to kiss you?" Derek suddenly asked her. "Lily…" he whispered and suddenly hugged her.

"Derek…"Lily trailed off. One sided love was so painful. She should know…she was going through it as well….

"I'm sorry." Lily whispered. "But it would hurt you more if I stayed your girlfriend."

"I know." He said monotonously. He hugged her tighter. "Promise me Lily that if you ever need my help, if you ever need anything and don't know who to turn to you'll think of me. You'll remember me….I'll come to you. All I need is one word from you and I'll be there to help you through whatever predicament you're in."

Lily nodded. "Thank you so much. The same goes for you. If you ever need help…ever. I will be there. I'll help you. All you need to do is ask."

Derek nodded and buried his head in her shoulder.

"I don't think I should come visit you." He said chuckling into her shoulder. "It's going to be harder to forget you that way."

Lily laughed and allowed her hands to ruffle his hair around the nape of his neck affectionately.

"Since when are you two back together?" came an oddly strained voice.

Lily looked up and Derek pulled away to see James standing in front of them.

Lily laughed. "Derek's graduating….a sentimental moment between friends. We should've gotten a picture of it." She teased and turned to smile at Derek. Derek smiled back at her.

"Funny. Never had such a sentimental moment with one of us." James remarked. "Why are you trying to hide it from us that you're back with Derek."

Lily turned to look at James appalled. "Why would I hide something like this from everyone?" she asked standing up angrily. "There's nothing to hide?!" she said in frustration. "We're just friends!"

"Sure." James said sarcastically.

"And even if we were going out, why would I want to hide it anyway? And I don't have to answer to you!" Lily stormed. "Who do you think you are anyway? You're nothing to me! NOTHING!"

Lily saw the hurt in James eyes but she didn't care. She was angry, not just angry at him for assuming what he was assuming but angry at him for putting her through the torture she'd been through these past few months. She liked him so much….and all he could see was Rosalyn. She could never have him and it hurt to know this.

"I thought I was your friend." James shot at her. "I guess I was wrong. A girl like you only knows how to keep one sort of friend." He said staring at Derek. "I didn't know you had such loose morals Lily." James sneered. "What are you two? Friends with benefits?"

"We're just friends!" Lily yelled. "You pigheaded, egotistic, moron! It's none of your business but I'm telling you again that Derek and I are just friends!"

"Didn't seem like that from where I was standing." James shot back.

"Then get a stronger pair of glasses!" Lily snapped. "You're so thick headed and dull witted! Honestly it's wonder they didn't hold you back in first year! It's a wonder you're even a PREFECT!"

"I scored more than you on our OWLs!" James shot back. "How does it feel Lily?" James taunted. He didn't care what he said. All he wanted to do right now was lash out at her for hurting him, for hugging Derek like she would never let him go…..for never hugging him that way...

"You, who studies all the time lost to ME, who barely ever touches a book. That's what ticks you off most doesn't it? You didn't get as good a result as me in the OWLs examination even though you studied your arse off while all I did was play pranks. Face it you're a failure." James deadpanned in his anger.

For some reason that ticked Lily off more than any other comment James had said so far. How dare he call her a failure? She was going to be Head Girl…..how could he call her a failure? Her anger went soaring from red to white hot fury.

"You may have scored more than me on OWLs but you're a complete failure at life." Lily replied nastily. "You can't even get along with your own mum because you're always too busy moping over the father you lost!!!"

There was a dead silence at these words and Lily felt a sort of ringing in her ears. She'd gone too far. She'd hit below the belt. She'd used a piece of information against him that he'd given to her as Jeremy. The pain in James eyes was enough to tear her heart into two.

"Now I remember why I chose Rosalyn over you." James spat back angrily. He turned and stalked off.

Lily closed her eyes. That had hurt….but she deserved it. What she had said to James was unforgivable. She had used the vulnerable side he had exposed to her as Jeremy as a weapon against him. Lily suddenly began to sob. She turned in Derek's arms and cried into his chest.

"I'm awful. I'm so horrible." She sobbed into his chest. "I….I can't believe I actually said that. No one knows about this except for me…except….and I used it against him. I'm awful."

"No…hush….you're wonderful. No one's perfect." Derek whispered trying to soothe her.

A/n: OK first off I am really very sorry for not updating on the 7th!! Really I am so sorry…..it's just that I went to New York for a few days for spring break and I thought id be able to update as I had my laptop with me but i was just so busy……by the time I got back to the hotel at night I was too tired to even keep my eyes open and then I tried to update last night but I stayed the night in washington DC at a friends house and no one in that neighborhood has wireless intenrt so I really couldn't connect.

Ugh it really sux. Sorry guys….really sorry but to make up for it look this chap is 23 pages long and I already have the enxt chapter written!! Hehehehe. Actually it was supposed to be one whole chapter but it ended up being 52 pages long and I was worried that it might not upload properly on if it's too long.

N yes if I get a lot of reviews proving that a lot of people have already read the chapter and have had sufficient time to digest what has gone on in this chappie, I will upload the enxt chapter by Saturday (most likely Friday night)…I PROMISE!!it's already written, edited ….everything…I just have to proof read it once more.

Allright and yes the thing that was supposed to happen didn't happen in this chapter it will happen in the next one now.

I would also like to point out some very significant details incase anyone missed them…..

James is now referring to his relationship with Liz…as one he had with Lily….

He is also remembering habits and things about Liz and applying them to Lily…..

James is slowly starting to get to know the girl he fell in love with on wizard net, all over again. In a way he is 'rediscovering Liz' but this time not as Liz, as Lily.

Another thing….there is a lot of tension between them now…..Lily is now very very confused. She likes James but only because he is Jeremy (note she refers to their relationship as one with Jeremey not james). She also wants to forget him but cant. She realizes that she loves him….alot….but she is also very insecure and doesn't want to let James get close to her. Ultimately, she is a confused mass of female now that loves James because she thinks of him as Jeremy and she is hurt that she can never have him. However, she doesn't want to have him anyway for fear he might hurt her but then again she cant control the way she feels leading her to feel hurt and jealous when he is with Rosalyn.

Yea that's why she doesn't want to go to james house for the summer….she doesn't want to see him with Rosalyn….

N this lie of hers is something that will come into play..mayube in the next chapter..or the chapter after that…also…in a few chaps…we finally find out why the bracelet is soooooooooooooooooooo important to james (the one he gave lily a long time agolol).

Ok if anyone is still confused……um let me know n I will explain this complicated mess again. It will also be further explained in the story but not for awhile yet. I think Lilys PoV will become more clear to everyone in ……5 or 6 chaps….

N next chapter…yes the turning point. I cant wait…hehehhe.

So REVIEWW!!!!!plzzz.lol.


	24. Chapter 24:The Ministry of Magic fiasco

"Andrea." Sirius began as he approached her from behind. She was sitting outside in front of the lake. It was night time now and the cool breeze danced around them, blowing Andreas hair away from her face.

She turned and smiled at him and Sirius took her unspoken invitation to sit down beside her.

He turned to look at her only to see her looking out at the lake again.

"We only have one more year until no more Hogwarts." She said softly and hugged herself against the chilly breeze. Sirius hesitated a moment before bringing an arm out and wrapping it around her. Andrea snuggled closer to him.

"Have you thought of what you want to do once you're out of here?" she asked settling herself beneath his arm.

Sirius shook his head. "I'm not sure yet. What about you?"

Andrea sighed. "I want to do something….something helpful." She finally concluded. "I want to help people."

Sirius smiled. "What about becoming a Mediwitch?"

Andrea bit her lip. "The idea has merit." She finally said and then continued hesitantly. "I really want to go somewhere where people really need my help…like Africa. There are so many malnourished and sickly people there-people who need more help than people here." She sighed. "I think it would be a good thing to do."

Sirius squeezed her shoulder. "You know I'll support you all the way right?"

Andrea grinned. "Thanks Siri." She said and began to pull away to sit up straight.

Sirius suddenly pulled her back towards him. "Andrea I-" he began but he suddenly felt his throat constrict. He could see it in her eyes. They were pleading him not to continue. He swallowed and looked at her and her beseeching expression that stilled him from continuing his sentence. He hesitated and his eyes hardened.

"I love you." He finally said.

Andrea pulled away from him and looked away.

"Don't do this Siri." She said in a suffocating voice. "Don't make me say it. I don't want to hurt you."

He had his answer.

"Why?" he choked out. "Ans…"

She turned to look at him sadly. "Sirius I don't want to be in a relationship right now with anyone. I love you." She admitted quietly. "I love you a lot but I don't think I can handle a relationship right now." She looked at him and gave him a trembling smile.

"Please try to understand Siri. I'm not ready for another relationship. Quite frankly I'm sick of them. I want to be single with no boy trouble. I just broke up with Terry. I may not have loved him as much as I love you but he still meant a lot to me. I don't think it would be wise to jump into another relationship right now." She drew in a shaky breathe and extended a hand to caress his cheek. "Please Siri….don't hate me."

Sirius kissed her palm that was caressing his cheek. "I could never hate you Ans." He whispered. "I'll wait for you. I'll wait until you're ready." He crushed her to him. "I'll be right here waiting for you. All you have to do is look behind you and I'll be right there waiting for you. Waiting for you to give me a signal, a word, a look-anything and I'll come rushing to your side."

Andrea merely hugged him back.

"I love you so much." He whispered. "So much, you have no idea. I'm sorry it took me this long to realize it…"

Andrea didn't reply. She merely allowed Sirius to hold her, realizing that she no longer held the boy from fifth year in her arms but a young man who loved her more than the boy ever had.

OoOooo

"Is he still angry at you?" Andrea asked the morning of the trip to the ministry of magic.

Lily nodded miserably. "He's still angry at me, no wait he is always angry at me for some reason or another, right now he is furious at me." Lily burst out and flopped down on her bed. She looked at her Defence Against the Dark Arts book. She had been studying. Finals were a mere two or three days away.

Many of the fifth as well as seventh years looked at the trip to the Ministry as a brief reprieve from the tension filled halls of Hogwarts where the ever present dread of NEWTs or OWLs were looming over them.

"Come on." Andrea said with a sigh, grabbing Lily's hand and pulling her up to walk down with her to breakfast.

"What about you and Sirius?" Lily asked standing up. "Everything O.K. between you two even though you turned him down?"

Andrea smiled and nodded. "Everything's fine. He's not the same Lily. It's amazing how much someone can change. He's about to become an adult and it's showing. He showed remarkable understanding when I finally told him that I had no wish to put myself in another relationship." She smiled. "I expected him to turn around and start dating again but he hasn't. He's always with me, always talking to me, always waiting for me in the halls but not because he expects anything from me. He does it because he says that he considers himself my friend and wants to be there for me from now on unlike before when he had been too busy dating girls he barely had any interest in."

Lily smiled. "He's growing up."

Andrea smiled and nodded.

"I'm surprised." She admitted.

"You think you'll get with him eventually?"

Andrea hesitated before saying. "Lily I don't know. All I know is that I don't want a relationship right now. If tomorrow however, I find someone that makes me change my mind I'm not going to refuse him just because of Sirius.

Lily smiled. "Sirius really loves you though Andrea, at 15 he himself was probably really confused because of the feelings he had for you. You should forgive and forget."

Andrea contemplated these words as they walked through the Hogwarts halls.

"I have forgiven him." Andrea concluded slowly. "However, I can't forget. I can't forget the pain I went through last time when we broke up." She looked at Lily pleadingly. "Am I awful to want to save myself from that pain? Is it exceedingly selfish to refuse Sirius in order to try and protect myself from going through that pain again?"

Lily shook her head sadly. "No, Andrea. I wouldn't say you're exceedingly selfish, I would say you're exceedingly cautious-like me." Lily added regretfully.

"Is that why you broke up with Derek?" Andrea asked quietly.

Lily shrugged.

"I didn't love him." Lily said quietly. "But I guess it was also a defense mechanism. He was getting close, after what happened with James I don't want anyone to get close." She admitted. "See I'm like you, no wonder we're such good friends. Our frames of minds are exactly the same. We try to protect ourselves from going through the same pain over and over again."

Andrea began hesitantly. "If-" she paused and then continued with her question. "If James ever came back to you, ever said he still loved you would you go back to him?"

Lily stopped walking and paused for an agonizing minute before looking at Andrea resolutely.

"No Andrea, I wouldn't." she said regally. "Even if it broke my heart, even if it broke his heart beyond repair I would selfishly refuse him because I can't-I won't allow myself to ever trust him with my heart again." Lily closed her eyes for a minute as if to hide her pain away in them.

"I want so badly to fall in love again so I can forget James. Moreover- " she said sadly opening her eyes. "-I want so badly for someone to love me so much more than I could ever expect but I only want all this so I can forget James. Then again, I'm too scared. I don't want to ever get as close to anyone as I was with James because if in the end it doesn't work out I don't think I could bare going through that same heart ache again. After my relationship with Jeremy ended..it hurt…it hurt a lot and you can call me weak or you can call me a coward but I will never allow myself to take the risk of going through that hell all over again."

"I understand." Andrea said compassionately. "Because I feel the same way."

There was silence for a few minutes and then Andrea linked her arm through Lily's as they began walking down the halls again. "Well we're a right pair of cowards aren't we? How did we ever make it into Gryffindor?"

Lily laughed. "Maybe the sorting hat took pity on us." She supplied. "Could you ever imagine being in Slytherin?"

"Or Hufflepuff!" Andrea burst out. Both girls began laughing,

"We would be total outcastes." Lily chuckled.

Andrea nodded laughing. "I could never imagine being in any house other than Gryffindor."

Lily nodded in agreement. "Even though the boys in our house are total arses." She supplied.

"Yes, there is that one minor setback." Andrea conceded as they reached the Great Hall.

"I resemble that comment." Came an amused voice.

Both girls looked up to see Sirius standing there.

"Yes that you do." Andrea said with sham gravity. "What do you think Lily?"

"Yes, a perfect arse." Lily concluded resolutely. Both girls ran laughing into the Great Hall.

"What do you find so amusing now?" James snarled as he watched Andrea and Lily laugh together while settling themselves down across from him, Remus and Cassidy. "Cooking up another plan to write letters to me pretending to be someone else?"

Lily winced. That comment was enough to show her that even though he had said he'd forgiven her, he hadn't really. He was still smarting from her letter writing attempts and was especially furious with her for the comments she'd made a few days ago. Lily shook her head. It was like everything was just piling up against her in his eyes.

She chose to ignore James and looked at Cassidy steadily.

"Consider yourself lucky that you managed to snag one of the Gryffindor boys who _isn't_ a complete arse." Lily snapped and began piling food onto her plate.

Cassidy snorted into her orange juice, Remus began to suppress a laugh, Peter snickered and Sirius and Andrea laughed uproariously.

"She got you there Prongs!" Sirius yelled banging the table with his fist.

Lily merely met James steely gaze over the top of her goblet and then averted her eyes once Rosalyn suddenly appeared and flung her arms around James.

A few minutes before breakfast ended Rosalyn announced that she was going to the loo before they took off to go to the Ministry of Magic. She asked Lily to accompany her and even though Lily really didn't want to she decided to go ahead anyway.

Once they reached the loo both girls began primping in front of the mirror.

"He's doing so much better with me." Rosalyn said to Lily eagerly as they stood in the bathroom with Lily applying gloss and Rosalyn applying blusher to her cheeks.

"That's nice." Lily said indifferently as she put her pink lip gloss in her purse and took out a brush which she began to run through her hair.

Rosalyn took out some foundation and began to apply it to her chin while she said, "Yeah, I know. Lately he'd been so withdrawn and cold. I almost thought that he was going to break up with me." She admitted. "But now he's opening up to me again. We're not where we were before but we're getting there."

She sighed dreamily.

"He was on the verge of falling in love with me Lily. I know it. Something happened though, something to make him pull back." She looked down at her purse and began looking around for eyeliner. She didn't see Lily still all of sudden mid-brush, to look at Rosalyn through the mirror. "We-he even told me once that we'd always be together. We talked of moving in together once I graduated and he turned 17. We talked of a lot of things." She suddenly admitted,

"We made plans and when I broached the subject after he finally turned 17, he merely shrugged and seemed so uninterested."

Lily resumed brushing her hair and instead of parting her hair from the middle like usual, she did a side part.

"Oh that looks really nice." Rosalyn suddenly said. "It's different from your usual middle part."

Lily smiled wryly. "Who knows, I might run into a very cute wizard while at the MoM tour today."

Rosalyn giggled. "I wouldn't be surprised if they all lined up to greet you. You're really pretty." She acknowledged.

"Thank you." Lily murmured, not sure why Rosalyn's comments always annoyed her. It always seemed like she was a piece of art that Rosalyn was surveying while Rosalyn herself was an experienced artist whose judgment everyone waited for with baited breath.

Lily shook her head, she was being ridiculous. Pushing aside her annoyance and firmly telling herself not to let her resentment and jealousy towards Rosalyn get in the way she put her comb in her purse and zipped it up. "Let's go." Lily said brightly.

Rosalyn agreed and they both left the bathroom to go join everyone that was already congregated outside McGonagall's office waiting to be allowed in and flooed to the Ministry of Magic.

OoOOoOo

It would be an understatement to say that the trip was interesting. For Lily it was a rather enlightening experience. She "oohed" and "aahhhed" at the fountain in the atrium of the Ministry of Magic and met many people who had graduated and gone on to work at the Ministry of Magic. Their host was James sister's friend. Mr. Donaldson showed them around. Lily learned that many jobs which she had thought entailed nothing but paperwork entailed quite a bit of magic as well as hands on experience which greatly interested her and led her to consider taking up a career in the Muggle relations department.

It was during the middle of the day that James sister entered the conference room in which lunch was being served to the Hogwarts students.

"James!" she exclaimed and went to hug him.

"Need…air…Julie!" he choked out.

Julie Burnam let go of her brother and looked at him sheepishly. "How are you?" she asked ruffling his hair affectionately.

James smiled and stood up in respect for his sister and looked down at her just as affectionately. She was a good 7 years older than him and their relationship was not one filled with brother-sister squabbles. Rather, theirs was a relationship in which Julie was a very close confidant of James who he could go to when he needed mature advice.

"Why you've grown so much!" she exclaimed laughingly and then sobered. "You're no longer my stupid baby brother."

James laughed. "Julie I've been taller than you for the past three years."

Lily smiled. Julie seemed to have not acquired the Potter genes. She was a 5 foot 4 inches short, blonde witch with slightly plump cheeks. Only her eyes and her nose resembled James.

Of course she had met Julie a few times already as she had come numerous times to pick James up or drop him off at platform 9 ¾. Not to mention that when she had been Liz, James had introduced both of them and they had chatted on wizard net a few times. Julie, however, only knew Lily as the girl in their little group that James didn't like. Lily sighed and looked down at her hands.

"Hello Sirius, Remus, Peter." She acknowledged and then turned to the girls. "How are you Andrea? You should come by our house more often Cassidy." Her gaze came to rest on Lily. "I haven't seen you for awhile have I Lily?" Julie mused softly.

Lily suddenly flushed a pleasant shade of pink and felt a little better that Julie at least knew her name.

"Oh James I know you don't like the press but they have been hoarding me and badgering me night and day. They somehow found out about this little trip of yours and were adamant to get a picture of you." She grimaced. "Seems like not a lot is happening lately so they want to cover your trip to the ministry."

Lily knew that James, being the sole male heir to an influential family's assets, was quite an important individual among the contemporary wizarding world society but she had never known that he was this important.

James flinched. "Julie." He warned.

"I can't help it James!" she suddenly exclaimed. "They keep calling my home, camp outside my lawn and are even starting to suspect that there is no James Potter. That maybe I killed him so I could take over the family fortune for myself" Julie rolled her eyes, "They are desperate to do an article about you. The last article they did was when you first started Hogwarts and now that you're 17…" she gave her brother a helpless look and then clapped her hands.

A handful of reporters suddenly entered the conference room and Lily felt as if a million bulbs were being flashed before her. Pictures of James and his classmates and every single inch of the conference room were being taken at an uncommonly fast pace while three reporters crowded around him asking what his favorite color was, what his favorite food was and even what brand of robes he was currently wearing.

James answered them patiently and Lily noticed that he was clenching and unclenching his fist trying to control his temper. Lily shook her head as Rosalyn who was beside him lapped up all the attention the press was giving her boyfriend.

"I-" she said loudly and importantly. "-am his girlfriend." At once she was also the center of attention and lapped it all up. Lily didn't miss the relieved sigh that came from James as he leaned back and allowed her to take over.

"How about a picture of both of you for the paper?" one of the reporters asked eagerly.

Rosalyn nodded enthusiastically while James said loudly.

"How about one with all my friends in it as well?"

This was agreed on by all of the reporters, as a picture of the whole crowd _the_ James Potter hung out with would be a great asset instead of just one of him and his girlfriend. Through those pictures they could locate said people and interview them….discreetly of course.

The Marauders crowded around James and James then shot a look at the girls standing off by the side. Andrea and Cassidy went in to join the picture. Cassidy allowed Remus to put his arm around her and Andrea stood close to Sirius smiling. Lily stayed back. James was mad at her. He probably didn't want her in the picture.

"Natalie?" came James clipped voice. Lily smiled inwardly. He hated the press. That much she could tell by his voice and attitude. He was only doing this so they'd back off for awhile.

Natalie hesitantly came to stand on James other side. Lily began to back away, knowing that everyone else was looking at her oddly. Weren't she and James Potter supposed to be really good friends?

James suddenly turned to look at her. Their eyes met just as Andrea called "Lily come on! We can't wait forever for you."

James merely continued to look at her and Lily wasn't sure whether it was an invitation to join the picture or a threat to stay away.

"I have to go to the loo." She suddenly blurted out and turned around to find the nearest restroom. She heard the click of the camera go off as she shut the door behind her and said click was followed by many other clicks of James with his friends.

Lily closed her eyes miserably. Why did she love him so much?

"Hello Liz." Said a warm voice from right beside her. Lily's eyes flew open and she turned to come face to face with Julie.

"Julie!" she exclaimed. "You-you know?"

Julie winked at her. "James tells me almost everything Lily." She assured. "He sent me a letter telling me the whole story. In fact-" she mused. "-he sent it to me a few days after that whole fiasco with Snape. Something about Sirius feeding Snape some rot about the Whomping Willow and almost getting Snape killed."

Lily suddenly remembered the letter James had been writing when she went to warn him about Snape. At the time she had assumed it was a letter to his mum.

Julie looked at Lily somberly. "I take it things didn't quite go as planned."

Lily shrugged and motioned towards the closed conference room. "The results are in front of you."

Julie smiled and grasped Lily's hands in hers.

"No matter what James thinks- "she began. "-I think you're a really nice girl Lily. Also don't distress yourself over what's happened. There are many other boys out there. Move on. I can see you still like him." Julie sighed. "My best advice would be to not tear yourself up over him. James is James." She sighed. "I can't vouch for my brother. I'm not going to fill your head with empty hopes that he'll come around because I'm not sure he will come around." She squeezed Lily's hands. "The only advice I can give you is to forgive, forget and move on. If and when one day he realizes he wants you back, do as you see fit. Do what makes you happy." Julie concluded. She turned her heads towards the shuffling in the conference room and then the door opened. The reporters shuffled out but not before taking about five pictures of Julie standing with Lily. Julie after all was the eldest Potter child.

Their conversation ended with everyone else emerging from the conference room.

"That was interesting." Lily said as they walked down to the magical artifacts department.

Andrea nodded and smiled. "Those reporters took about a billion pictures of us and James was so angry." Andrea whispered."He hates the press. Dear Lord no wonder they haven't come near him for five whole years."

Lily giggled, remembering the furor that had been caused by an 11 year old James yelling at the reporters to let him board his train instead of detaining him with stupid questions. She suddenly quieted down as a middle aged man with muddy brown hair and clear gray eyes smiled at them.

"Daddy!" Rosalyn exclaimed and waved to him.

Rosalyn's father-Mr. McAllister-smiled patiently at his daughter before greeting everyone.

He went into a rather long and boring lecture on what exactly it was he did and Lily who had already heard form Rosalyn what her dad did was not very interested. Mr. McAllister's drone was worse than Professor Binns, enough to put anyone to sleep. After a half an hour of prolonged chatter he began to lead them down a hall way and they entered different rooms, looking at different artifacts. He showed them the Goblet of Fire and Lily found herself immensely interested in knowing the workings of the object. Apparently it only lighted itself every four years and names were put in to choose who would participate in the Triwizard tournament. Lily had read all about it in history books and it lead her to raising her hand and asking a question.

"Ms…" Mr. McAllister trailed off.

"Evans." Lily ended for him. "Please sir, I remember reading about something called the Goblet of Ice."

Mr. McAllister's eyes lit up when Lily mentioned that.

"Ah yes, the Goblet of Ice." He motioned them to follow him out of the room and into an adjoining one which held nothing but chairs and tables. He opened another door which led to a long corridor. He spoke as they walked along the corridor.

"The Goblet of Ice." He said importantly. "Was used in medieval times. It was an old ritual performed by wizards once every year put the names of their children that had reached marriageable age into the Goblet of Ice. The Goblet of Ice would then spew out the names of two people, one male and one female-thought this wasn't always the case (collective giggling and snickers were emitted throughout the group)-and those two people would be joined in marriage."

"Did the Goblet of Ice ever not spew out someone's name?" Natalie asked curiously.

Mr. McAllister nodded. "Many times such a case happened. In actuality it was a cause of great shame among wizards if their child's name was not spewed back out." He chuckled. "Rather silly though. The Goblet of Ice's only purpose was to match two people up who were rightly suited for each other. If a child's name was not thrown back out linked with another person then it only meant that there was no one at the moment that would provide the best potential match for your child."

"What if a person had put their name in 20 years ago and their name came out with someone else's?" Sirius asked jokingly. "It would be a right shame for a 25 year old to have to marry a 45 year old lady."

Everyone laughed. Mr. McAllister tsked.

"There is a time limit. The time limit is for one week. After one week any old names in the Goblet of Ice are consumed by the Icy flames inside of it and the name has to be resubmitted." He chuckled. "This is exactly why we only allow one tour group per week into this area. To minimize any chances of two people who don't even know each other having their names spewed out together by that Goblet. It was confiscated because it was believed that this Goblet took away freedom of choice. Once your name was put in you would have to comply with marrying whoever the Goblet chose."

"What if something like that were to happen now?" Cassidy asked cautiously.

Mr. McAllister chuckled nervously.

"Silly girl nothing like that will happen now. However, putting your name into that Goblet is like signing a contract. It is very old, very powerful magic just like the magic of the Goblet of Fire." He shuddered. "Such ancient magic is never to be disobeyed."

There was an ominous silence as all of them entered another room with chairs and tables scattered through out it.

A young man of around 20 years sat hunched over a table writing furiously. He jumped as everyone entered. He had sandy brown hair and light green eyes that looked up at them all startled.

"Ahh Simon." Mr. McAllister said pleasantly. He turned to the students. "This is my apprentice, Simon Walters."

Simon stood up and smiled good naturedly at everyone. His eyes suddenly landed on Rosalyn.

"Hi Rosalyn, how are you?" he asked suddenly going up to her eagerly.

Rosalyn smiled, trying to conceal her dislike of him.

"Hi Simon. I'm fine. Long time no see." She said nicely.

"I know." Simon said eagerly. "How about after you graduate I take you out to dinner sometime?"

Rosalyn coughed into her hand and said, looking up at him. "I'm sorry Simon, I'm going to be spending the summer at my boyfriends house." She put an arm around James' waist.

James likewise slipped his arm around Rosalyn's waist.

The mistakable droop in Simon's mood was noticed by every single person in the room, except Rosalyn's own father. Lily had assessed him and he came off as very dull witted and single minded to her. He saw only what he wanted to see. His reply to the question of what would happen if someone put their name in the Goblet of Ice today was sufficient proof of that. Instead of even contemplating such a scenario, he merely said that such a thing would never happen. Yes, he was decidedly one of those adults that thought, heard and looked at the world only as they wanted to see it.

"All right then." Simon said quietly and turned to go sit back down at his desk.

"Well, moving on…" Mr. McAllister said

Mr. McAllister stopped to show an ancient scroll to them which was hanging on the wall and said to increase the brain power of a wizard times by 10 for three whole hours if the words on it were said out loud. After that, however you would find yourself seriously demented and unable to string two sentences together properly. Everyone chuckled and crowded in for a closer look.

Lily allowed the crowd to push her back as she had already gotten a glimpse of the scroll.

"You didn't come." Said a voice behind Lily.

Lily turned to look and saw James staring back at her angrily.

"I stood there-" he whispered angrily. "-looking at you and practically begging you to come join the picture even after all those horrible things you said but you didn't come."

Lily looked at him angrily. "How was I supposed to know it was an invitation from James Potter the great that I could be in his important picture?" she said defensively. "All I saw was you looking at me. I can't read minds!"

"Any half wit would know that it was an invitation to come and join the picture." James snarled. "I didn't know you were too stupid or inept to understand that." And with that he stalked off, following the rest of the tour group into the next room.

Lily huffed at him and watched them enter the next room. Right now she did not feel like being in the same room with James Potter lest she murder him with her bare hands. Therefore, she contented herself with looked around at the different artifacts in the sitting room and reading the labels and pages beside the artifacts that explained the artifacts history and purpose.

She giggled as she looked at an ordinary wooden spoon with gothic carvings around the handle. The paper said that in the olden days a witch in some faraway village had created this for her husband who turned out to be….lacking participation in bed.

She would use it to cook food for him and it in turn led to an increased participation in making a child on his part. It worked splendidly for her as she ended up with ten children and a happy marriage. After that she began to lend the said spoon to her friends and it became a trend for witches in her village as well as nearby villages to use this spoon to cook food for their lovers or husbands and seduce them.

Lily giggled and looked at the carvings on the spoon. Apparently whatever food or beverage was stirred by this spoon 3 times clockwise and then three times counterclockwise would arouse any wizard or even witch to such heights that it was said not even one whole night would be enough to satisfy the victim. Lily laughed, trying to picture a witch from the olden days stirring this spoon to cook food for her husband. Apparently, after feeding said food many times to the wrong person by accident, this ancient artifact was confiscated and the witch who had originally created it was forbidden to make anymore of them.

Giggling, Lily finally decided that she was in better spirits and up to being in a room with James again so she opened the door to enter the next room

OoooOoo

James followed the tour Group into the next room feeling immensely pleased that he had had the last word.

Rosalyn suddenly came to slip her hand into his and for some reason he felt his ire rise with her by his side instead of decrease.

"This-" Mr. McAllister began motioning to a goblet in the middle of the room. It was a silver goblet with blue flames leaping around in it. "-is the Goblet of Ice that Ms. Erins asked about."

"It's Evans." James snapped irritably not caring that the man he was speaking so rudely to was his girlfriends father.

"Oh er yes-" Mr. McAllister said his face turning red. "Ms. Evans. Uh..erm…well moving on this was what was used. Every year wizards and witches of the nobility would congregate in an old wizarding part of London and drop the names of their children into this goblet. At the end of one week, marriage preparations were made and invitations handed out. After the nobility had had their week, the commoners were given their turn. The Sorcerer of our time would decree that the Goblet be taken to certain points throughout the land-usually big villages and close by villages would also send their families to participate in this ritual." He smiled at everyone. "It was thought something to be ashamed of if you did not enter your children's names in the Goblet of Ice. This even was always looked upon with much anticipation, many youths of course were positive that they would end up with the love of their life or current crush." McAlister shook his head. "Alas, many a time a young maiden ended up with someone she totally despised." He said chuckling.

James could not find humor in it.

"What would happen then?" he asked unable to stop himself from asking.

"They would eventually have their explosive fights even after they got married as well as a whole brood of children."

Everyone present laughed heartily.

"Didn't any couple end up having to separate?" Remus questioned.

McAllister shook his head.

"The Goblet of Ice chooses people not by whim but by whether they are most suited to each other or not. Incompatible people were never paired together in the first place. There was a time where I recall the lady fancied herself in love with another man and tried to run away with him….after she had already been married to her husband for two whole years."

"What happened?" Peter asked eagerly.

"Why halfway to Gretna Green she realized her mistake and she went back to him and asked for forgiveness however he couldn't be swayed. He told her he'd been betrayed beyond ever trusting her again. They lived their separate lives for awhile." McAllister said heavily. "Eventually, though they made up and lived the rest of their lives quite happily. However that is the only case in which a couple has separately lived after a decision of the Goblet of Ice. For the first year of marriage the Goblet does not even allow both parties to live separately. They can only be apart for one month maximum during the first year of their marriage otherwise; no matter where you are you find yourself being transported back to wherever your wife is. Even the couple who lived apart, for the remaining of the first year they were forced to live in the same house and even sleep in rooms adjoining each other. It wasn't until the year was up that the Lady could move out and live separately."

"So it's not infallible." Peter claimed triumphantly.

McAllister smiled.

"My dear boy it is man that is not infallible." He turned and picked up a piece of parchment from a huge stack of them and picked up a quill among quite a few cluttered on the table next to the Goblet. "Now here's a special treat-would one of you like to put your names in the Goblet?" everyone looked uneasy and McAllister laughed. "Don't worry. Last group that was here was here last week and none of them put their name in the Goblet. Even though the introductory parchment here gives permission for one person per tour group to put their name in the goblet, we do not usually permit it. This is a special treat I'm allowing the Hogwarts students." He winked at them all conspiringly

Everyone backed away. Rosalyn elbowed James in the ribs obviously that was his cue to be the impressive boyfriend and volunteer himself.

"I'll do it." James said with a sigh. He went up to the table, wrote his name and put the bit of parchment into the Goblet. It glowed bright red and everyone looked at the brilliancy of its color in awe.

Lily entered the room and caught a glimpse of it before it died down.

"It oddly relates-"McAllister said fondly."-of how love can melt even the coldest heart and turn it into something brilliant." He ended, referring of course to how cold the blue flames looked but how inviting and inspiring the Goblets red flames were once a name was put in.

Everyone was still in awe of the Goblet of Ice as McAllister led them to a different section of the vast room.

Lily crept closer to the Goblet of Ice and read the parchment that explained what it was used for. She hadn't really heard Mr. McAlister's speech and had only come in, in time to see some sort of red light fill the room before dying down. Lily read the paper which said that 1 person per tour group was allowed to slip their name into the goblet and see its 'true beauty'. Intrigued Lily picked up a quill wrote her name on it and reached out to drop it into the Goblet of Ice.

"Lily! No wait! Don't do it!" James called out turning just in time to see her slipping her piece of paper into the goblet. She glared at him as if challenging him to stop her. He cursed as everyone else suddenly ran up to her. The whole room was again surrounded in a brilliant red light as the Goblet of Ices flames turned red and danced inside the goblet, almost tauntingly now.

"DO YOU REALIZE WHAT YOU'VE DONE?!" James burst out as the red flames receded and turned into blue again.

"What?" Lily asked nonplussed. "What's wrong? It says on here that we can do this-"

"It says only one slip per tour group!" James exploded at her. "My name has already been put in there!"

"Wh-whaat?" Lily asked incredulously and suddenly something icy cold gripped her heart. Lily stared at James in understanding. "But even if our names came back t-together….they wouldn't make us….I mean this was used in the olden days…now it's just an artifact…right?" Lily said looking up at their tour guide-Mr. Donaldson-who had been with them this whole time.

The tour guide shrugged. "I have no idea." He said frankly. "The dictates of this goblet are older than time. Such ancient magic….cannot be broken." He murmured.

"Well…sufficient time has passed." Remus observed. "And nothing has happened so I guess we're safe…right?"

Everyone stared at the goblet for a second before nodding in agreement. It hadn't reacted yet. It should have reacted by now. Everyone turned to leave and Lily expelled a relieved breathe. She looked at James angrily.

"Yelling at me for no reason." She mumbled.

"Excuse me?" he said turning around. "Could you blame me for yelling at you? It wouldn't have happened if you hadn't wandered off on your own and had just stayed with the group!"

"Are you trying to blame me for this?!" Lily yelled. "How dare you-"

Her speech suddenly stilled as the room was illuminated by an all too familiar red light and upon turning to look at the goblet a piece of paper was suddenly released form within it's fiery flames.

Sirius deftly grabbed it, looked at it and grimly confirmed what everyone was thinking.

"James Potter and Lily Evans." He read allowed.

**A/N:** Allright... really ticked me off!! i have been trying since staurday night to ujpload thisz hcapter but it just wouldnt upload!! Thank the Lord it uploaded today!!!

OK fiorst of all im sorry….the bracelet is not in this chapter…u'll find out the significance of the bracelet in..two more chapters tops. I had to go back and add some more stuff to 'further enhance my plot'.

Lol and YES this is the turning point!! YAY!!! Hahahaha….

Ok now everyone knows why I tried to make it as realistic as possible before….because now it's as Unrealistic as possible!!! But I like it this way. I wanted to do it this way from the beginning…..actually I was going to write a totally diff story with this in it…but I decided to incorporate it into here when I started writing this story again. James and Lily have really grown on me….im going to hate ending this story but it must be done. I don't know how many more chapters are left until this is done but I already have everything planned out. I highly doubt that you have another 23 chapters to go before this ends. If I keep my chapter length as long as this then ill be done well under 23 more chapters.

And everyone that reviewed thank you so much!! Your reviews are what egged me on to hurry up and finish this chapter!! II felt really guilty since so many people had reviewed showing thatg a lot of pple were anxious for the next chapter….so here it is n I hope everyone liked it. I guess u only have to wait maybe one or two more chaps for lots and lots of good l/j sweet moments….not thatg they get together within the next two chapters but there are really a lot of cute scenes between them that I wrote and totally love now. Heck…even I find myself reading them over and over sometimes….esp the tie scene…hahaha u'll fine out what im talking about in..chapter.. 27…hopefully.lol.

Also Doglover258 made a wonderful banner for my story. I think it is really cute!!! Plz go check it out…here's the URL for it!!

http// i169. u220/DogLover258/lettersleadtolovecopy.jpg

(justtake out the spaces btw the words and ull get to the url)

it's an incredible summation of how lily and james actually feel and what's going on in their hearts!! It's really poignant.

Also as for what those two characters feel…

Lilys little dialogue hopefully went a little ways to clear it up but think of it this way….

Lily uptil now seems to like Jeremy…not james..like she knows they are the same person but her mind refuses to fit them together as one person.

James…he's becoming a little buit more clearer…he knows that lizz and lily are the same…if only unconsciously. Like he realtes things that heknew abt lizz with lily now.

Also….Lily loved james because he is Jeremy not because he is james….atleast that's what she's trying to tell herself but slowly she is falling for the real james. Also…since james hurt her a lot…as a defense mechanism…she doesn't want to give him chances to hurt her anymore…therefore her brain says..well I just wont get with him again. I will distance myself from him and even if he comes back I will refuse him to avoid further heartbreak…

That is what her mind says but her heart is a totally different matter because no matter how much logic you use, how much common sense you have…you cannot force yourself to fall out of love. You cannot forceyourself to just stop liking someone.

Lilys brain wants Rosalyn to be with James to eliminate any chance of him ever coming back to her or ever in the future wanting to be with her.

Lilys heart however feels pain and jealousy whenever Lily sees james with another girl.

It cant be helped because no matter what u just cant fore yourself to stop liking someone.

I hope THAT cleared it up a little bit more for anyone still confused.

Plz go and check out the banner..i simply loved it and im sure everyone else will like it too!!!

Oh and next update is…..well if I get as many reviews as I got last time around I will def. update exactly one week from today…but if it seems that a lot of pple haven't read this new chapter yet…then ill wait and update two weeks from today. I want to give readers sufficient time to digest whatever has happened in the current chapter so everything doesn't seem to be going haywire. Trust me..if this thing was read in one go it would seem like a roller coaster. Lol….and tho some pple may count that as a good thing..others may not…

Anyway plz pple remember to read and review…even if it's just to say that this new turn of events is totally preposterous, I really wanna know what pple think about the turning point!! I was kind of reserved abt putting this in…but I thought..why not …..i can have a lot more fun this way now…hhehehe.


	25. Chapter 25:A Letter can Lead to Love

"This is entirely your fault!" James yelled, as they sat waiting for a hearing with the Wizengamot. "You can't prance through life doing as you please!"

"I'm not the Marauder here!" Lily retorted. "If you hadn't blown up at me before I would have never gone my own way! I would have stayed with the group and we wouldn't be in this situation!"

"So now you're blaming me for your feelings?" James replied. "It's not like I can predict your reactions!"

"Well it's not like I can predict what happened before I entered a room!" Lily shouted back.

"They were getting along so nicely before." Cassidy muttered. "What happened? They've been fighting an awful lot lately."

Remus smiled. "Let them. There's a fine line between love and hate. I was worried for them when they were just friends."

Cassidy looked up at Remus oddly. "Are you sure about this?"

Remus merely chuckled.

James sister meanwhile was standing with her head in her hands muttering about the mess.

"This has never happened before." She mumbled to Sirius. "What are we going to do? I've petitioned to the Wizengamot to declare this void as Lily is underage. She can't be married at 16…and James just turned 17. I also said that this was a law practiced in ancient times…to enforce it now would be bordering on barbaric."

"Did you contact Dumbledore?" Andrea asked. "Isn't he a member of the Wizengamot? He could do something about this…"

Julie looked at Andrea helplessly. "I contacted him but I don't know how much he can do. No matter how powerful these members are they cannot defy laws set down by Merlin himself. Why do you think they confiscated that artifact? To prevent this method of marriage. They believed that people should be given a right to choose. They could not declare the Goblet of Ices declarations void. It would be going against ancient magic's more powerful than them. Thus they confiscated it and kept it in the Ministry where no one could use it."

"Do you think I actually want to go through with this?!" Lily shrieked. Everyone turned to look at her and the ongoing argument between James and her. "This is the last thing I want to do!"

"Do you think I actually want to marry you?!" James replied angrily. "Please…you're the last woman I would ever pick!"

"Glad to know it." Lily said heatedly, trying to avoid the twinge of hurt in her heart.

"Please just be quiet!" Rosalyn suddenly said standing up. "You two have been at it for hours on end! Just stop!" she looked imploringly at James. "Don't you care about my feelings? The guy I love might get married to another girl! Do you know what I'm going through right now?!" she suddenly started crying.

James was up and hugging her compassionately. "Look I'm sorry." He murmured. "I'm really sorry. It's not like I thought even in my wildest dreams that something like this would happen but don't worry. The Wizengamot are not fools. They will think of something. We're still in Hogwarts. They won't make us go through with it. They're probably thinking of something right now…" he kissed the top of her head.

A hush fell over the room as Lily and James were summoned.

Both entered.

"The only way-" Dumbledore said quietly after an infinitely long period in which the Wizengamot members pressed upon how it was not within their power to go against such ancient magic. "-we can get around this is to actually get you two married."

"WHAT?!" they exclaimed in shock. Dumbledore held up a hand.

"The Goblet of Ice was used in ancient times and never once has it wavered in its decision. If precedents had shown that the marriages had failed or ended in divorce we would have had right cause to declare its recent decision void. However-" he began hastily. "-we can make an allowance. If by the end of one year you two are still opposed to being married we will declare this marriage void. You two can get an annulment." Dumbledore leveled his gaze severely on the two students. "The Goblets power is strongest within the first year of marriage. After that it's hold begins to waver and it is solely up to the married couple to work on their relationship."

There was a pause, some ruffling of papers on Dumbledores part and then he proceeded.

"We also have set aside another, provision, you may say." He began hastily. "As the witch in question is under age you two may not consummate the marriage. You two will however have to live together. When you two come back next year to Hogwarts I will have made proper living arrangements."

James snorted. "This is absurd. Just because Lily's underage it's illegal for her to consummate her marriage?"

Another wizard with white bushy eyebrows and hard lines across his face leveled a harsh look on him. "Young man this is more for the lady's benefit than yours. We know how young teenage boys can be. You two are going to be living together. We don't want you pressuring her into doing anything she does not want to do."

James scoffed. "Like I would."

"Nevertheless this is better for both of you. It will be easier for you two to get an annulment if you don't consummate the marriage." Dumbledore said calmly, ignoring how both teenagers turned slightly red. "Also…..Lily….as you will now be a Potter…you will enjoy the benefits that go with the name. Meaning you get the land and assets set aside by James' father in his will that were to go to James wife however, once the marriage is declared void, you lose it all."

Lily nodded miserably not really hearing what Dumbledore had said about the properties. This was not happening…this was not happening…

"Isn't there anyway to stop this?!" Lily suddenly burst out.

Dumbledore hesitated, "The Goblet of Ice would not do this if it were so but have either of you pledged yourself to another already? Has either of you already agreed to marry someone else? We might be able to find a loophole somewhere if this is so…"

Lily shook her head miserably. James stood there stonily staring straight ahead of him.

"Does having a girlfriend count?" Lily suddenly asked motioning towards James.

"I'm afraid not." Dumbledore said gently. "She would have to at least be his fiancée'."

Lily's shoulders drooped. James still looked straight ahead. He had talked about it with Rosalyn. They had talked about getting married. If he spoke up….but they had only talked….he didn't really want to marry her now that he thought about. He couldn't see himself marrying her yet….

His gaze strayed to Lily who was now putting her shoulders back and looking up at Dumbledore determinedly.

He smiled inwardly. She was acting as if she was going to war. Come to think of it if they did have to through this….both would be in a constant war……

She was so passionate when she was angry. When she fought him she fought with all she had…when she had fun with him…..she laughed and did everything to the fullest. He couldn't recall ever being bored when he was with her. She was so unlike Rosalyn in that way.

Rosalyn was more tranquil…more peaceful…he should speak up. Rosalyn was not his fiancée but discussing marriage constituted as a form of pledging yourself didn't it?

"James, have you thought of someone?" Dumbledore suddenly asked peering at him.

"Yea, James have you thought of something?" Lily asked excitedly looking up at him.

As she looked up at him with her shining, innoceent eyes another thought hit James. What if they made him marry Rosalyn instead of Lily to declare the Goblets descision voic? James glanced down at Lily as she looked back up at him eagerly.

If she hadn't looked up at him like that, like her whole world depended on him with those sparkling eyes and alluring smile he wouldn't have said what he said….

"No." James said stonily looked at Dumbledore. "There's no one or anything." He replied, casting Lily a sideways glance.

Lily looked down at the floor.

James eyes widened. What had he just done? Why did he do such stupid things when he was with Lily? Why did such a proper girl make him do such improper things? Had he gone temporarily insane? Why hadn't he spoken of Rosalyn…he should have….maybe there was still time….but when she looked into his eyes he had wanted to look into no eyes other than her sparkling emerald ones.

He looked up in time to see the Wizengamot members putting their official stamps on the parchment that decreed them both to be married.

Dumbledore's final stamp was like some sort of finality to the whole deal.

James could still hear that final stamp ringing in his ears as he deftly sat and signed the legal papers that would pronounce Lily as his wife.

There was no ceremony…no nothing. After all…this marriage was purely legal…wasn't it?

Lily suddenly groaned.

"My parents are going to kill me!" she said as she signed her name on the documents.

Dumbledore murmured a few charms and the ink with which they had signed their names sprung off the paper and combined into one whole round ball of ink. For some reason Lily felt something deep within her view this as some sort of profound ritual. He was combining the ink they had both used to write their names. He was merging the ink, their names together and then with a final flick the round liquid ball of ink separated and came back onto the papers with their names on it again. They were still the same names but the ink had been fused, had become one. What had been separate was now one.

Lily felt the inexplicable need to bury her head in her hands. This would have been so beautiful if not for the circumstances.

James stared at Lily with her head in her hands. She had tried to manipulate his feelings, used what she knew about him from their past relationship to get him to fall in love with another girl and had taunted him with information he had given her at his weakest. Yet, he still found himself putting an arm around her shoulders, trying to give her some form of comfort that he himself was seeking.

Lily turned into his shoulder and muttered. "I won't cry, I won't….I won't…"

"It's O.K. to cry." He whispered weakly into her ear.

So, Lily cried and James felt something profound and helpless well up inside his chest. He hated seeing her like this. He'd seen her like this too many times and all of a sudden he felt it was his right now to say what he said next.

"I won't make you cry anymore Lily." He whispered wrapping his other arm around her as well. "I promise. I'll try to make you as happy as possible."

The witnesses who were the Wizengamot members looked away respectfully, wondering how two people so right for each other could be so blind.

Once Lily had calmed down, she and James emerged into a room where all their friends were waiting.

"What happened?" a distressed Rosalyn was suddenly up in their faces with a wild look in her eyes.

Lily looked away and James stared straight past her at his sister.

"We need to think about what we're going to tell the press. They're going to have a field day if they find out from a third person." He stated.

"No!" Rosalyn screeched backing away from Lily and James. She shook her head violently. "NO!" she exclaimed louder.

"I'm afraid so." James told her gently.

"I-I-…." Rosalyn stopped what she was about to say, turned on her heel and ran out of the room.

James sighed as he looked after her. Julie merely grabbed the legal papers that James held within his hands and began looking them over.

"We might as well tell them the truth." Lily said quietly. "It's going to look awful that the same day you took pictures with your girlfriend for the press, you married a completely different girl all together. Tell them the truth. Pin it all on me." She said quietly. "After all it is my entire fault." She looked up at everyone wryly. "My parents are going to kill me when they find out." She concluded.

Natalies eyes widened. "Lily what about that trip you said you were going on with your parents?"

"According to the contract you must stay at our house now…or if you go on that trip with your parents James must go with you…" Julie said trailing off and flipping a page of the contract she was reading.

James suddenly smiled ironically. "I didn't think my wish for you to spend more time with me during the summer would come true in this way."

"I lied." Lily said tonelessly looking up at James. "I-um-there was no family trip. It was only an excuse because I didn't want to spend the summer at your house."

Everyone looked at her and Lily saw the hurt and confusion in James eyes. Right now, she felt awful but she was getting used to feeling that way. It seemed that now she was always hurting James. She even found herself thinking that maybe she was doing it subconsciously, trying to get back at him for hurting her long ago. Lily didn't like that idea and banished it from her mind. She didn't want to hurt James, no on purpose anyway but what was the use of hiding it? He would be even angrier if he found out later on. It was best to get it out of the way now.

"Why?" James asked looking at her as if he had been betrayed.

Lily didn't meet his gaze.

"Just because we're married now, it doesn't mean I have to tell you everything." She replied coolly.

"Bullshit Lily!" James snapped and grabbed her arm before she could turn away from him. "We're husband and wife now in every Goddamn sense of the word marriage!!"

"Not so fast!" Julie said shrilly, looking up from the contract and staring at James. "If you consummate your marriage while Lily is still underage you'll be sentenced to Azkaban for 1 year."

James suddenly felt his jaw go slack and his hand dropped away form Lily's arm as Sirius found this so amusing that he began to laugh.

"ONE YEAR?!" James exploded.

"What's the problem!?" Lily burst out. "During the hearing you said you wouldn't-"

"I said I wouldn't but it's rather insulting knowing that if I did I would have to go to prison for it!" James yelled back.

"You-you-" Sirius laughed and pointed at James. "-can't get any!!"

James felt himself turning slightly red. "I don't want any." He said heatedly.

"Yeah right. You should have seen your face!" Sirius gasped through laughter. "You're quite put out that you're going to have to wait!"

"I'm not waiting for it because I don't want it!!!" James roared at Sirius.

"No one cares what you want!" Lily yelled at James shrilly. "What matters is that I sure don't want to-""she suddenly stopped short and blushed when she realized the sentence she had been about to complete. This only made Sirius laugh harder.

"You want it too!" he laughed pointing at her.

"He's gone mad." Andrea said shaking her head and pulling Sirius away from James and Lily before they murdered him.

Lily turned on her heel and began to walk away; she then stopped short and looked at Julie.

"I need-" she began quietly. "-to have someone explain this to my parents so they don't think this is something I did of my own free will." Lily sighed. "Someone needs to explain to them why exactly I could not go against a drinking utensil's orders to marry James."

Julie looked up at her compassionately (being a good 5 or so inches shorter than her) and nodded. "We'll think of something Lily."

Lily sighed and murmured for the third time that day, "My parents are definitely going to kill me."

OoooOoooooOOoooOO

That night, when they all reached Hogwarts again, Lily and James were called up to Dumbledore's office.

Lily pleaded with Dumbledore that her parents had to be informed immediately and about how hard it was going to be to get them to understand this predicament she was in.

Dumbledore calmly told her that he had already paid a visit to her parents and explained the gravity of the situation. Her parents were now quite anxious to see her. Thus, he was allowing James and his sister to accompany her to her parents' house and reassure them of his good standing.

"Not that I already haven't assured them." Dumbledore said wryly. "And if my opinion wasn't good enough the opinion of the reporter that turned up at their house to interview the family of the girl who had married 'the' James Potter, surely convinced them that James is an honorable man."

Lily coughed into her hand before looking up at Dumbledore. "Unless they see me for themselves they won't be satisfied, especially my father. We need to go tomorrow."

Dumbledore inclined his head in acknowledgement.

They walked in silence down the hall until, with her uncanny knack for always doing so, Rosalyn appeared out of nowhere. She looked at James for a second before attaching herself to his arm.

"Look, I've been thinking-" Rosalyn said as she linked her arm through his and smiled up at him and then Lily. "-I can handle it. So what if you two are married? It's just legality."

"A legality that gives her all rights over my dad's property." James bit out. "A legality that forces us to be in close proximity to each other for the next year." He ended.

"Look I'm not to keen on all of this either!" Lily yelled shrilly. "And the last thing I would want is the property your father left to the girl you finally choose to be your wife! Keep your precious money!"

"I would if it wasn't for the fact that it would explicably be going against the will my dad left!" James yelled back.

"Then suck it up!" Lily snapped as they reached the Gryffindor common room with Rosalyn trailing behind them.

"That's just what I'm doing." James replied.

"Well then just go on doing that and stop complaining!" Lily roared.

"I will!" James yelled.

"Fine then!" Lily said before marching up to her own dormitory.

"Fine!" James yelled up the stairs before stalking up to his own dormitory.

Rosalyn along with the rest of the Gryffindor common room was left staring after them speechless.

"God help them.", muttered Terry from his position beside Laura. "They're going to kill each other by the end of the summer."

Andrea laughed happily. "This is only the beginning Terry. Wait till they get back next year!"

"I won't be here next year!" Terry reminded her from across the room.

"Oh yea…" Andrea trailed off. She suddenly realized that she would miss him…a lot.

"Hey!" Terry yelled at her.

Andrea looked up and bellowed back across the vast common room. "What?"

"I'm inviting you to my graduation! You better come!"

There was a pause before.

"All right then, but I'm not bringing you a graduation present."

"Deal." Terry said and grinned. He then leaned down and kissed Laura on the cheek. Laura elbowed him impatiently, trying to wave him away from her as she tried to read her book.

Terry mischievously grabbed her book, threw it behind the couch and began to kiss her on the lips. Laura tried to push him away at first but finally gave in and wrapped her arms around his neck.

Everyone laughed and sent whistles their way before going back to what they had been doing.

"Shouldn't you be getting back to your dorm?" Natalie asked looking at Rosalyn innocently.

"Oh…oh yea I should." Rosalyn said sadly before turning and leaving.

"That was mean." Cassidy whispered.

"I don't care. I still don't like her." Natalie replied before going back to her notes for OWLs.

OoOoOOooOoOo

"We need to stop at Gringotts on the way." Julie said as James reached into the green bag she held for a pinch of floo powder.

"Why?" James asked looking up at her.

"Well…." Julie trailed off, caste a glance to Lily and then looked back at James. "….I was thinking we might as well give her the bracelet, do you want to James?"

James stiffened. He turned to look at Lily who was looking at both brother and sister curiously.

"She already has it." James said curtly before resuming his quest for a pinch of floo powder.

"You do?" Julie asked curiously and excitedly as she looked at Lily.

"What?" Lily asked confused.

"The bracelet?!" Julie asked excitedly.

"She's talking about the one I gave you as Jeremy." James said stiffly and threw the floo powder back into the bag.

"In my family, it's always given to the female intended to be the eldest sons wife….." James trailed off for a moment before continuing. "It's been in my family for decades. An ancestor of mine had it made especially for the girl he intended to marry. This was before making such bracelets was outlawed. It took him three years to make it because each individual sphere was made with pure white magic and to do that you need an exceptionally powerful wizard. Creating the sphere drains a wizard of most of his power and he needs time to recuperate. It took 6 very, very powerful wizards to create that bracelet. When it was finally made, my ancestor bequeathed it to the girl he loved and said that he was placing his life in her hands. It's symbolic-" James said wryly suddenly remembering how Lily had used it to save his life as well."-it shows that we trust the one we love. We trust them to keep us safe, to save us if the need arises. It's more of a small form of submission instead of always trying to keep the upper hand in a relationship." James looked at his sister expectantly, missing the look of utter warmth on Lily's face as she peered at him. "We might as well portkey to her parent's house now that we're not going to Gringotts."

Julie didn't reply. She was watching the way Lily's eyes changed as she listened to James theory behind the bracelet and then how Lily smiled at James back tenderly.

"Pardon?" Julie asked looking up at James.

Meanwhile Lily was still taken aback. No wonder he had been furious when he thought she had given it to Cassidy. As Jeremy he had given to her as a form of submission to her on his part. Lily looked at James now repeating that they might as well go straight to Lily's house. She had to make things right. She didn't want him staying angry at her. She would treasure that bracelet now more than she ever had before. The urge to go upstairs and look at it right now was overwhelming….

"Let's go." James said turning to look at Lily impatiently. His was anger back. He was still sore at her for everything that had transpired between them.

Lily sighed, she was going to make things right. They were supposed to live together for one whole year; they needed to clear the bad air between them. The sweetness of the gesture of James gift was so strong in her heart right now that she didn't even rise to any of his scathing comments as they made ready to portkey to her parents house.

It struck Lily as odd how confident she was about all of this. James was angry at her and yet she trusted him not to botch things up at her parents' house. Somewhere, deep in her heart she knew that no matter how angry James was at her he would always support her.

He would always be with her.

Lily's eyes locked with his hazel ones an instant before they were portkeyed off to the front of Lily's house.

OooOoOooO

"My baby!" her mother cried upon opening the door. She enveloped Lily into a tight hug.

"Hi mom." Lily said wryly.

"Let her go Marian." Neil Evans said from his position behind his wife. "She needs to breathe."

Marian released Lily sheepishly and allowed Lily to introduce her to James and Julie. The introductions gave way to a discussion about their circumstances.

"It's pure legality." Lily explained as Marian Evans handed Julie a teacup. "There's nothing to worry about. It's similar to me spending the summer at a friend's house." Lily said taking her own teacup. "And I can come and visit you guys so I'm not totally alienated from you."

Neil Evans took his own teacup from his wife, took a sip and then looked at Lily in the eye. "Lily are you comfortable with this arrangement?"

Lily struggled for the right answer and finally said. "There's nothing much I can do about this arrangement daddy."

"You and the boy could come live with us instead." Neil suggested and looked over at James.

"The thing is-" Lily began hastily before James could even open his mouth. "-James had plans for the summer. He was inviting all of us to spend the summer at his house anyway. Everyone will be there and I want both of us to be able to go on as if nothing has really changed. I don't want to spoil everyone's summer fun either." Lily added with a sheepish smile.

"Nothing's changed?" Neil echoed disbelievingly. "Lily, although it's only according to a bit of parchment but in the eyes of your wizard government you are now legally married!" he set his teacup down on its saucer and looked at Lily sadly. "This is your age to have fun, go out with your friends, make plans to move in with your friends, allow yourself to try your hand at living as an independent young woman-not being viewed as a married woman and tied down to a boy you barely know!"

"But we do know each other!" Lily said hysterically. "We're really good friends!" she cast James a frantic look and James simply looked at her parents and nodded. "Please dad, don't take this the wrong way. I'll have my chance at life. I'll get to live it the way I want, this is only for a year. By the time I'm out of Hogwarts I'll be free again."

James flinched. She was talking as if she was going to be in prison for the next year.

Neil set his teacup down and sighed heavily. He turned to look at James.

"I'd like to have a word with you in private."

"In private?" Lily asked curiously as she watched James set his own teacup down and stand up to follow Mr. Evans out.

Both men pretended not to hear Lily and left the lounge.

"Well, you can't deny that he is cute." Marian commented staring at the place James had just been standing.

"Mum!" Lily exclaimed while Julie laughed.

"Excuse me; I need to go to the loo." Julie said standing up. Once she was out of the room Lily glared at her mother again.

"How can you say something like that?" Lily demanded.

Marian looked at Lily flustered. "Lily you can hardly blame me. Did you know that we had 7 reporters swarming around our house this morning? I never knew you had friends in such high places! Why, do you know that that boy owns 5 different estates in England? 5! Not to mention the ones he owns in other parts of the world! I for one dear, am glad you're happily settled in with such a nice, charming and able boy."

"Happily settled?" Lily choked gulping down her hot tea, "Mum! This is only temporary! Don't start acting like I'm officially married to him or something!"

"But he's so-so-so-"

"Rich?" Lily supplied, knowingly. "Mum there is more to life than money."

"I know that." Marian said, lightly tapping her daughter's arm. "But you can't blame me for wanting the best for my daughter and from what I've heard that boy is one of the best." She reached under the couch and took out a magazine.

Lily moaned-it was Witch Weekly. Coincidentally, the new issue of the magazine had just been released this morning.

"How did you get that?" Lily groaned out.

"One of the reporters was from this very magazine. He gave me a copy." Marian said happily, opening the magazine. "I subscribed to it."

Lily let out another groan as her mother flipped the pages until she reached the article she was searching for.

It didn't have the details of their marriage but rather had the pictures of James and his friends from the ministry.

"He is one of the most eligible bachelors-rather was." Mrs. Evans said smirking. "His girlfriend must have not been happy about this occurrence."

"She was heartbroken." Lily said softly, remembering Rosalyn and how sad she had been while they all waited for the Wizengamot hearing.

"Ahh well….all the more better for my own daughter."

"Mum! James and I are…we're just friends-"

"That's how it always starts out dear and now look you're married."

"We're not really married! It's like a contract marriage. It's not a real marriage mum! We're allowed to get an annulment after one year passes."

"B-but….you're not really going to get an annulment are you? Don't go through with it dear! Look-"she pointed to a picture of a magnificent structure with the caption underneath- The Potter Manor. "-how could you give something like that up? Why don't you want to stay with him?"

"I-" Lily stopped short. She couldn't say she didn't love him, because she did love him. Then….what other reason did she have not to stay with him?

"I won't be happy with him." Lily said resolutely.

"How could you not be happy with a young man like that?! You're Mrs. James Potter! I order you to be happy!" Mrs. Evans demanded.

Lily groaned. "Mum, don't get used to that title. It'll be gone by next year."

Mrs. Evans hmphed. "Not if I can help it."

"Not if you can help what?" Julie asked coming in.

"Lily breaking it off with your wonderful younger brother at the end of next year." Mrs. Evans said promptly, as Lily quickly shoved Witch Weekly underneath the couch again.

Julie laughed as Lily huffed out of the room in her anger.

"I'm going to my room, I might as well get some of the stuff I'll need over summer hols, now." Lily called.

Little did Lily know that both her sister-in-law and mother were making plans to keep James and Lily together.

OoooOo

"Dear we must all go shopping sometime in the coming weeks. All of you have to come. We'll make it a family outing!" Mrs. Evans said happily, as she hugged Lily good-bye. Before Lily could open her mouth to say that she would not drag James or Julie along, Julie jumped in.

"Yes, great idea Marian. I'll be sure to drag my own husband along. We'll all be able to sit around and get better acquainted with each other. Which reminds me…what about Lily's sister?" Julie asked enthusiastically. "I haven't met her yet."

"Oh she is still away at college. She'll be back in a few weeks. What a wonderful idea ….you'll all get to meet Petunia." Mrs. Evans said joyously.

James clenched his teeth. He remembered staying up on wizard net all night multiple times comforting Lily because Petunia had called Lily a freak or called her something other nasty thing. He had never met Petunia but he didn't like her. He remembered wanting to comfort Lily (at that time Liz) because she was crying her eyes out due to her sister's (he hadn't known her name was Petunia at the time) vicious comments. He remembered with clarity the tears that had appeared on his wizard net book because Lily had let her tears fall onto her own book.

His gaze swerved to Lily who seemed to be staring at her hands. Was she remembering all those times as well?

Lily was in actuality embarrassed because she could see right through her mother's ploy and was hoping it wasn't obvious to James.

ooOOoooo

There was a knock on James' dorm room door. He opened it to see Lily standing there.

Totally taken aback by Lily standing in front of him, he stared at her for a moment. Boys waking in the hallway jeered.

"Trying to have your wedding night?" a rather brave and stupid fifth year taunted. James turned the full blast of his angry gaze on the fifth year-who made to run into his own dorm room as fast as possible. James then swiftly pulled Lily inside and looked at her fiercely.

"What are you doing in here?" he asked angrily, turning to shrug on a robe over his white shirt and dark blue boxers.

"I-I knew that no one was in here other than you and I wanted to talk to you." Lily said quietly.

James raised an eyebrow and leaned back against the post of his bed.

"Talk." He said curtly.

Lily looked at him sadly.

"Aren't you sick and tired of being angry?"

This question startled James and he suddenly found himself looking down at the floor. Come to think of it, he was…he was tired of being angry at Lily. Whatever she had said, she had said in a fit of anger….there was no use staying angry at her forever over this. Besides, she was his friend….right she was his friend, that's why he wanted to hug her right now….

"I know what I said was horrible." Lily said quietly as James lifted his head to look into her eyes. "It was really mean of me to use your dad's death against you." She swallowed. "It was also really awful of me to use our previous relationship against you and manipulate your feelings by writing a letter from Rosalyn to you." She looked at James compassionately. "I'm sorry." Lily said quietly.

"You also forgot to mention how you lied to me about your family trip." James said curtly. "You lied when I was under the pretense of thinking you thought of me as a really good friend. Why didn't you want to spend the summer with me?"

Lily sighed and smiled to herself ruefully. She might as well tell him the truth. She looked at the floor and nudged a small scrunched up piece of parchment with her foot.

"because-" she said quietly. "-because I…." she faltered.

"Because what Lily?" James asked impatiently. "You never thought of me as a good friend like I thought of you? Because you would rather be at home then spend the summer with me? Is it because you don't like me?"

"No!" Lily exclaimed looking up at him honestly. "No! James….it's because….because…..because I can't stand seeing you with Rosalyn!"

There she said it….she had said it and she watched James stagger back and sit on his bed.

"What?" James asked quietly with wide eyes as if he couldn't believe it-not looking at her but at some distant spot on the floor…probably where the scrunched up parchment lay.

"Don't get me wrong!" Lily suddenly said hysterically. "It's just that whenever I see you with her, its like…that's Jeremy and he's with her and it hurts! James it hurts! Jeremy was supposed to be mine and I KNOW now that you're not Jeremy….or rather you are but Jeremy is not the whole of your personality-it's just a part of it and its so confusing James! I'm trying to get over you, over what we had but I can't help feeling jealous and hurt when I see you two together!" she rushed over to his side and knelt down in front of the bed so that she could clasp his hands loosely in hers. "James, if Rosalyn hadn't been able to make it to your house for the summer, if she had been too busy I would have definitely come but I just didn't think I could handle seeing you two day in and day out together….all the time it…it would hurt too much!" Lily fumbled revealing more than she thought she was.

"And you-" James said in a suffocated voice. "-you-you tried to help her. You tried to write that letter for Rosalyn, feeling the way you felt…" he allowed one hand to go up and caress her cheek. A sudden surge of warmth filled Lily. He didn't care that she had lied anymore, right now the feeling that was dominating his eyes was compassion and guilt….guilt for making her feel the way he had.

James grazed his thumb over her cheek before saying softly "Lily did you even realize then who you were writing to?"

Lily bit her lip, tempting James to kiss it.

"I didn't think." She confessed."I didn't think about it that way. I didn't think that I was writing this to Jeremy, but rather that I was writing a letter to a boy similar to Jeremy." Lily looked at him with wide innocent eyes. "Does that make sense?"

Not trusting himself to speak James merely nodded as emotions he had been battling with his anger surged and spilled over. What was going on? Why did he want to hold her in his arms? Because she was his friend? No…no….this wasn't what one would feel for friends. This urgency and tenderness as well fierce possessiveness rolled into a ball, building up inside him was definitely anything but feelings for a friend. If his feelings went only as far as friendship he would not feel the need to crush her to him and never let her go. James made to act on this impulse but before he could Lily suddenly reached inside a robe pocket and pulled out a letter.

"This-" she said, holding it up. "-made me realize what I had been doing. This made me realize that Jeremy is inside of you and not a separate entity altogether." She shoved it into James hands. "Read it James and forgive me."

James grabbed it and she looked at him expectantly, hoping he would read it in front of her. James made to open it but Lily suddenly put one hand atop his.

"Listen James." Lily said quietly. "We're in this fix together. We might as well make the best of it." She smiled at him. "Look I won't mind if you keep on seeing Rosalyn. Our marriage is just something written down on a bit of paper. We're not really married. We'll stay the best of friends and take this chance to become even better friends. I don't want to complicate things for both of us. I hope after reading this, we can go back to the way things were between us, before I tried to write a letter to you on Rosalyn's behalf. I'll talk to you tomorrow James." She said quietly. "If you want to see me before then you're welcome to come to my dorm, I'll be there studying for our final exams."

With that she was gone.

James opened her letter and read:

Jeremy,

This is the last letter I will ever write you. There are so many things I've wanted to say to you, so many complaints I've wanted to put in front of you and lastly, so many pardons I want to ask of you. I love you Jeremy and I always will. Don't ever forget that. However, I have come to the conclusion that our temperamental natures and ever clashing personalities make good friends but very poor life partners.

I will always love the Jeremy who wrote to me, who stayed up late into the night with me, who would prank me through wizard net and help me keep a continuous supply of crunchy chocolate frogs (I can't help but smile as I write this). However, the James Potter who I continuously fight with, who I talk constantly with and with whom I find myself showing my rebellious side to- I treasure as a very dear friend. We tried to make our relationship work once and it failed. Rather, it failed quite miserably and I would rather hold James close to my heart as a dear friend then risk loosing him through fanciful notions of love developed through watching and reading too many romance stories from an extremely young age.

I love you, please forgive me. It was horrid and cruel of me to use what we had between us to get you to love another girl. Even as I sit and write this I can't believe that I was in actuality trying to get my Jeremy to fall in love with another girl. It's hit me like a ton of bricks and I feel even more wretched now. I'm sorry my love, extremely sorry.

I know I can never have my Jeremy back but I would like my friend James back please. Without James, who will I fight with? Without James, who will I go on Marauder escapades with? Without James, who will I be able to tease? Without James, who will be the one guy friend I feel understands me better than I understand myself? Please, give me my James back……(James noticed wet marks on the paper which most likely indicated that there had been tears spilled in the process of writing this.)

Yours lovingly,

Liz

The name Liz suddenly made the image of Lily pop up into his mind and at that moment everything fell into place. He felt his breath catch and if he had been standing he would have staggered back a few steps because upon reading the word Liz he saw Lily in his minds eye. He now realized exactly what Lily had felt when she realized that Jeremy was James. It did hit him like a ton of bricks.

His hands shook as he clutched the paper in his hand and at that moment the full reality of everything came crashing down on him. He took in a ragged breath. This was his Liz….his Liz…..how could he have done this to her? How could he have ever thought……

He tried to think rationally. He tried to think of Lily and Liz as two different people but it was like all of a sudden they had fused together, they had become one. Lily was Liz……Liz was Lily. He couldn't think of Liz anymore without seeing Lily's red hair and green eyes, he couldn't think of Lily anymore without remembering their night long chats.

When had this happened? His eyes widened. It had happened without him even realizing it. He remembered talking about his father with Lily as if it had been the most natural thing in the world, but he had only been able to talk that way about his father with Liz. Unconsciously, he had finally fused them together because as he had gotten to know Lily better, he had begun to find the Liz he so loved hidden inside of her. He had talked with her, had fun with her and now…..now it was like being doused with cold water and realizing that you had taken a wrong turn from which there was no way back.

"Lily.." he whispered looking down at the letter painfully. "….what have I done to us sweetheart? What did I do?"

He had lost her completely…now…he knew she would never have him. It was like waking up and only just realizing that you'd lost the one thing you treasured most.

A/N:ok so how does everyone like this plot twist so far??

Ummmmmm im really not sure if im happy with it but I thought it would be a nice pliot device and oh yea don't worry…..lily and james get their huge happy and in love wedding in which Harry saw SIRIUS as the best man..they'll get it…eventually….hehehe…right now im debating over wether to continue this until after seventh year but I really don't want to write about how they die…plzzz gimme ur feedback on this idea.

Also oh yea whole summer at james house…..mmmm anyone want to see anything happen. U can let me know and I will incorporate it. But be patient. Like a really longtime ago someone asked for a dance off….it will be in the story don't worry but not until around the beginning of seventh year…im using it as a plot device for something else. So wanna see anything (other than james and lily making baby harry) I will be happy to add it in for you!!!

Ok I promise next update will come next week!!! I just need to send the next chappie to be betad and then it will be ready to be uploaded.


	26. Chapter 26:How to tie a tie

Julie had instructed Lily to wake up an hour earlier than usual as the official handing over of her rightful property would take place. A lawyer was going to come with the required papers which, upon signing, would bequeath the property set aside for Mrs. James Potter, to Lily.

She walked down to the "meeting-room" (McGonagall's office) alone and sat with Julie and her lawyer as they waited for James.

James finally entered; 15 minutes late and flinched as Julie scathingly complimented his punctuality. He looked at Lily apologetically with a very solemn look on his face.

"I was waiting for you. I didn't know you were already here." He explained.

Lily nodded and crossed her legs. Unsure of how to dress, she had opted for merely wearing her Hogwarts robes with a pretty dark blue blouse underneath, that peeked through the deep V of her robes. She looked at James to see him dressed in his Hogwarts uniform as well, black robes with a white collared shirt and a tie. Lily absently noted that he had tied his tie a little distractedly-it was crooked.

The briefing started and all her attention was solely occupied by what her new lawyer was telling her about her newly acquired property. The figures made Lily's head spin. She'd known James was rich but she hadn't known he was THIS rich. If this was her property, James must have enough to buy hers twice over. This speculation was further confirmed when Lily stopped the lawyer and gently asked,

"Isn't this all a bit to much?"

He stared back at her as if she was daft.

"I mean, all this property, what am I going to do with it?" Lily asked breathlessly. "The income from only one of these properties is more than I need. I have my own money, I don't need all this."

"Regardless of whether you need this or not Mrs. Potter," Her lawyer addressed her firmly. "It was a dying man's wish to leave this all to you. What you do with it is none of his business. You cannot, however, give this property to someone other than a direct descendant of one Mr. James Potter. Also, if you two were to separate, this property would be lost to you and by default go to Mr. James Potter."

Lily glanced at James tentatively.

"I'm sorry." She said looking at James sincerely. "I know you resent me for taking all this but I won't spend any of it. You'll get it all back once we get our annulment."

James looked at her regretfully because the truth was that he wanted her to keep it. Now, he dearly regretted his angry words at her from the previous day because he wanted her to keep that property and he sure as hell didn't want her promising to never spend it and save it for his "next wife".

"I have enough money to my own name." James finally replied quietly, leaning back in his chair to look at her. "I don't need those lots. They're minor lots when compared to what I already have."

"But I already have my own mo-"

"Leave it." James cut in curtly. "I don't want to go against my father's will, so please think of this as doing me a favor."

Lily quieted down then and let the lawyer proceed in his monotonous voice. Lily meanwhile, was preoccupied with James. He seemed so solemn and brooding. Was he still angry at her? Why did he look so sullen?

Before Lily could further dwell on this dilemma however, her attention was called to signing papers and viewing accounts of the properties that now belonged to her.

Afterwards, Lily had a huge stack of official papers that she had to go put in her dorm.

"Aren't you coming to breakfast?" James suddenly questioned as Lily began walking towards the common room after bidding good bye to Julie and her lawyer.

"I need to put these papers away." Lily replied while walking. They were accounts and went all the way up to right beneath her chest. A copy of the papers she had signed was tucked inside her bag, between her books.

James suddenly turned and went back into McGonagall's office. Lily paid no heed and kept walking, guessing he was still a little miffed at her.

She heard the door open and then heard James run over to her just before she turned a corner.

"I'll come with you." James said abruptly as he caught up with her. He then reached out and took most of the papers from her arms. Lily looked up at him and smiled grateful. He returned her smile with a warmer one.

Lily suddenly felt as if everything was all right again. James wasn't angry at her anymore.

OooOOOo

"There's no one left in the common room." Lily mused as she came back downstairs from setting her papers away.

"Classes are about to start in 15 minutes." James pointed out. "Everyone's stuffing their faces right about now."

Lily giggled and then sobered as she stared at James, happy that they were back on friendlier terms.

'I love you.' James thought to himself as he stared at her smiling back at him. 'I love you so damned much and I've lost you…..'

"Lily?" James asked softly.

"Yeah?"

"Can I hold you?"

Lily looked incredulously at James, completely bowled over by this statement.

"Please?" he whispered looking straight into her eyes.

Lily gave in with a silent, hesitant nod and James had his arms around her before she had even finished nodding.

"We need to get down to breakfast." Lily said hesitantly as James rubbed his chin over the top of her head affectionately. She felt lightheaded from their contact and asked shakily, "James are you all right?"

James tightened his hold around her waist. "Wait, just a little longer. I'm fine Lily. I just…I feel like I've woken up after a long time." He murmured into her hair, longing to kiss her, to tell her how much he loved her….

Lily wasn't sure what to say to that. Instinctively, she settled herself more comfortably in his arms and allowed her hands to travel up his chest slowly until they reached the tie around his collar.

"Your tie's not straight." She commented clumsily for lack of anything else to say. Being in James arms felt so good. She reached out to try and fix it.

James chuckled, looking down at her, "Lily, do you even know how to tie a tie?"

Lily sighed in relief that whatever had come over James was gone now. She delicately pushed his arms away from her hips while shaking her head in the negative.

She punched his chest playfully as James laughed at her.

"Don't laugh!" she exclaimed as her fist landed lightly against his chest.

"O.K., O.K." James said chuckling.

"Here." He said and untied his own tie. It hung down now with the end that was wide and the narrow end parallel to each other. "Hold onto the wide end, right, now keep the other end about one foot below the wide end….now cross them."

James grinned inwardly as Lily complied; she was so immersed in learning how to tie a tie that she didn't even notice his hands settling around her waist again. He slowly pulled her closer and she unknowingly complied as she tried to bring the wide end around behind the narrow tie and up. Lily smiled inwardly as she looped the wide end around and then proceeded with the next step. James chuckled as she botched it up.

"Wait, wait." Lily said trying to silence James laughs. "How about if I do this-" and she pulled on the wide end, making the loop in the tie go all the way up to James neck, making him gasp.

"Too tight." He rasped out.

Lily giggled and loosened the tie. "That's what you get for laughing at my attempts." Lily warned. "Now tell me what to do next."

"Put it down through that loop you made…."

"Move your head back, you're leaning so close to me it's a wonder we haven't bumped heads yet." Lily said not looking up at James as she did what he told her to do.

James sorely wished she'd look up because if she did he could kiss her. Instead of voicing his desire, he told her the next step.

"And finally you slip it down through he knot in front….yeah now you just push the knot up to my collar…"

"I did it." Lily said brightly as she secured the knot and it fit snugly up to his collar.

"You did." James said tenderly as Lily straightened his tie. "It's called a Windsor knot, maybe if you're good I'll teach you how to tie the half Windsor knot."

"It can't be as complicated as the whole thing. I'm sure I could handle half of it having tackled the whole thing already." Lily commented, not removing her hands from around his collar.

James laughed and Lily finally looked up at him, laughing along with him.

Amidst their laughter they heard someone climbing in through the portrait hole.

"Are you even sure he's in here Rosalyn?" Sirius asked angrily as he climbed through the portrait hole.

"Yes I am Sirius. He's not at breakfast and he probably came up here with Lily after-" Rosalyn stopped midsentence as she saw James with his arms around Lily's waist and hers around his collar as if she had been tying his tie.

Both had been laughing and somewhere during the middle of Rosalyn's sentence their laughter had stopped. They both turned to look at the intruders.

Rosalyn just stood there looking at James and then her eyes flicked down to where his hands were settled on Lily's hips.

"Rosalyn this isn't what it looks like!" Lily exclaimed frantically, pushing James hands away from her and turning to look at Rosalyn.

"I-I'm sure." Rosalyn said hoarsely and then quickly cleared her throat. She smiled a little too brightly. "I mean I know it probably isn't what I think it is. I mean, you two are just good friends…." She trailed off unconvincingly.

"That's right!" Lily exclaimed. "He was just...well I was just telling him that I always wanted to learn how to tie a tie and he offe…I mean, and I asked him to teach me." She concluded, deciding that Rosalyn might fly into a rage if she learnt that James had initiated the lesson. "Isn't that right James?" Lily asked turning to look at him.

James nodded as if there was nothing wrong. "Remember, I still have to teach you the half Windsor knot." He teased.

Lily laughed and she heard Rosalyn's distinct relieved laughter.

"Come on James." Rosalyn said going over to him and linking her arm with his. "We need to hurry otherwise we'll both be late for our class."

"I asked Dumbledore to excuse Lily and me from the first half hour of the first class of the day." James said shrugging Rosalyn off. "We still need to eat breakfast."

"Oh…" Rosalyn faltered for a minute before smiling at James brightly. "Well then I'll see you at lunch?" she asked hopefully.

"Sure." James said offhandedly.

Rosalyn turned and left.

Lily looked at James confused.

"Why don't you at least walk her to class?" Lily queried. "You could at least do that much. After all, she is your girlfriend."

"Yeah, James." Said Sirius snickering. "That annoying chit is your girlfriend and your wife is asking you to go and walk her to class." Sirius laughed the hilarity of it and James sent him a look.

Sirius turned and left while still laughing.

"I shouldn't see her anymore." James said tonelessly.

"Why not?" Lily asked confused. "Look, I told you last night I won't mind if you go out with Rosalyn. Our marriage isn't anything that should be taken into consideration. You should be allowed to see whomever you wish, just like I will be allowed to do the same." Lily added before turning to walk out the common room.

"Like hell you will." James muttered, grabbed her arm and yanked her back towards him. He kissed her forehead, before letting her go. He then grabbed a very confused Lily's hands and pulled her out of the common room.

"Where are we going?" Lily asked, still flustered form the kiss he'd placed on her forehead.

"To the kitchens for breakfast." James said.

"But what about Rosalyn?" Lily asked as James pulled her along behind him.

James turned to look at her with a smile. "We need to eat Lily. What about us?"

Lily felt her face grow warm at the look he was giving her and didn't question him further.

She also decided that she wouldn't accuse him of being a chauvinistic pig for his earlier remark about her dating other guys.

A/N:Omgosh I have to say that I enjoyed writing the tie scene…it was really cute in my opinion!!hehehe.

Anyway so yes this chapter is really short compared to the last one but don't worry…if I get enough reviews I will update by next week!!! And that chapter will be longer….like really long..i promise….i already have it written up and beta-ed. It's just that I thought this right here was a very good stopping point.Hehehe.

N yes I know abt the mum thing…james mum is dead but lily talks of her as if she is alive…well during the summer we learn a little more abt james life….and we also learn how creul and cutting lilys remark actually was. I know I left most of you mystified with lilys remark…that was supposed to happen. She brought up an issue that is really very very painful for james bc it pertains to something going on in his life right now. We leatn more abt it during the summer….

Anyway also….remember if u want to read abt anything..any particular thing that u wud like to have happen during the summer…let me know and I will do my best to incorporate it!!!

Also…reviieew!! Honestly when ihave writers block all I need to do is look at those reviews and it gets me all revved up angain and going….the more reviews the more inspiration and encouragement I get and the more determined I am to sit infront of my computer and type!!!ur reviews mean a lot to me pple!!! Oh yes and one more thing…many pple might be confused because of that clause abt lily being underage and she cant consummate her marriage bc of it….think of it this way….sagittary rape ring a bell anyone? Underage pple cant have sex with those over 18??? This is similar….and that clause was placed bc of that….bc james is an adult while lily is still a minor and eventho the age difference is a mere few months apart…(lily turns 17 around the end of the summer) …while lily is a minor she is still the responsibility of the wizard government. After becoming an adult she can make the choices she wants to but right now as long as she is underage it is the governments job to protect her…like….it's just like kids under 18 cant smoke….or kids under 18 cant go to clubs….and it is compulsory for children under 18 to attend high school or get some form of GED education or something. But once they are over 18 they can drop out of high school…start smoking….go to clubs. Bc it is thought that when an individual turns 18 they are more capable of making responsible descisions….similiary when a wizard turns 17 the wizard is also more capable of making more responsible descisions.

Atleast this is the way I see it. I hope im making sense!!! Ok pple until next week!!! Remember to RnReview!!!


	27. Chapter 27:No Rightno right at ALL

**A/N: ok some pple said that james is kinda acting out of character wirth the whole 'can I hold you thing'.**

**Allright yes he is only seventeen…BUT see….let me think a minute abt how to phrase this…allright here it is….he was showing his side to lily that Lily fell in love with. Yes this is the same side that he showed to her as Jeremy as well as the same side he showed to her when they briefly 'went out' (if u can call it that). Can anyone recall how charming he was back then? Well ofcourse he wasn't that charming anymore towards Lily bcoz he started treating her as a friend. So now he is showing that side again and Lily cant help but like it and she hates the fact that she likes it.**

**Also..i remember when James was falling hard for Rosalyn…everyone was yelling at me abt how james shud pay…abt how he should soo be punished and lily deserves sooo much better than him. One person even said that james should be made to wait all the way until the end of seventh year to finally get a chance to redeem himself in Lilys eyes. Like everyone was so mad at James and now at the slightest inclination that James wants to be with Lily everyone is yelling at me to make them kiss already!! Lol….i am sorry but yes they will EVENTUALLY kiss…..however…um….i can tell u this much….Lily is not going to make it easy for James. He is gonna actually have to work hard to win her back. It's not all smooth sailing from here on out pple. Don't worry though…there will be l/j action….im not going to fill up my chaps with utter nonsense….hopefully im going to write a very gradual and believable (hopefully) process of both of them finally getting together..oh yea and don't worry…u don't have to wait until the end of the story or something to read abt them kissing. They will kiss…and move forward in their relationship n all but it's going to be a gradual process….in other words…don't expect a kiss in this 20 chapter. LOL. However don't worry…the kiss isn't that far off…I already have it written. Hehehhee. Anyway enjoy the chapter!!!**

"So let me get this straight." Remus said slowly to James who was sitting beside him during lunch. "Now, after reading that letter….you've…changed your mind?" Remus put bluntly.

"No, no." James said staring at his food. "Not changed my mind…I just…..it's hard to explain Moony. I never really thought of Lily as Liz. I didn't know her well enough. After we became good friends, I realized that she was Liz because I got to know her better. The letter just…sort of helped put it all together" James stabbed his potatoes with his fork viciously. "I should have stuck through it all instead of…" he broke off and sighed.

"James." Remus said impatiently. "You do know that it's going to take more than that to get Lily back. You know perfectly well that a simple "I'm sorry" won't suffice, even if it's accompanied by a hundred boxes of Crunchy Chocolate to think of it…do you even want her back?"

James nodded as he stared down at his hands. "I've wanted her back for a long time." James whispered. "I was just too stupid to realize it."

"She won't have you." Remus said bluntly. "I hope you're well aware of that."

"I know." James moaned banging his fist against the table. "I know." He emphasized with another bang. He looked up at Remus. "You don't know-" he whispered hoarsely. "-how hard it was for me to keep from kissing her senseless this morning right there, right in that common room….where I was teaching her how to tie ties…." He suddenly swallowed and held up his hands. "I had my arms around her…" he said weakly. "…but she wasn't mine to hold. She pushed them away and I had to shift her focus of attention just so I could hold her a little while longer." James said desperately.

Remus sighed. "You could always tell her how you feel."

James shook his head. "She'll shrink away from me if I do because then she'll know…..and she doesn't want anything to do with me unless I'm her friend." He said in a suffocating voice. "I'd destroy the relationship we already have if I did tell her." James looked into his pumpkin juice bitterly. "A fitting end for someone like me."

"Stop being so melodramatic." Remus snapped. "Suck it up. You made your bed now lie in it. Let things take their natural course and stop presuming things, stop thinking you're going to get screwed over and just let what happens happen. If you and Lily are truly meant to be together you will end up together."

James suddenly jumped as Rosalyn's arms came around him from behind.

"Hey Rosalyn." James said pushing her arms away from him. "I'm kind of busy right now. Talking about something important with Remus here. I'll see you later."

Rosalyn glared at him for a minute before storming off.

"When are you going to break up with her? I assume you are because you just sat here professing your love for Lily. You are breaking up with her aren't you?" Remus asked watching Rosalyn stalk away.

James shrugged. "I don't know how to. I don't want to hurt her. I need to let her down easy instead of just going up to her and saying that I don't want to be with her." He looked at Remus eagerly. "Any pointers?"

"For you? Nope. I'd rather watch you flounder around." came the sardonic reply.

"You're cruel Moony."

"I try Prongs."

OooooOooOo

"You're bloody rich!" Natalie exclaimed, looking down at the contract and file that held details of Lily's newly acquired lands. "Bloody hell you're getting a thousand galleons a month on this one!" she pointed to one of the properties. "You could buy out the whole of Honeydukes or Gladrag's or..or..or Quality Quidditch Supplies if you wanted to!" Natalie exclaimed.

Lily smiled at Natalie. "I'm not going to use it." She said quietly. "I have no right over that money. It's set aside for whoever James wants to marry, not someone he was forced to." She sighed resignedly and went back to her lunch.

"No right…?" Natalie trailed off weakly. "How can you just sit by and not use all that money? I'm sure whoever he does marry in the end won't miss it. There's plenty more where it came from."

Lily shook her head resolutely. "I have my own money." She said with quiet dignity. "Set aside by my parents for college. Since I'm in Hogwarts now, that money is now solely used for expenses at Hogwarts."

Cassidy giggled. "Lily you know Natalie's right."

"I don't want to use his money." Lily finally said heatedly. "He can keep his money for all I care. Besides, he resents me for even holding these properties. They're his father's hard work…." She trailed off remembering how much James idolized his father. He had admitted to her in one of their long chats that he doubted there was ever a man as capable as his father. It bordered on godlike adoration-what James felt for his deceased father. Then again he had barely been 10 years old when his father had died…. Of course to a ten year old, his father was infallible. It wasn't until teenage years and the rebellion stage that a father seemed a nuisance…

"Lily have you been listening to a word I've been saying?" Cassidy asked impatiently.

"Pardon?" Lily said coming out of her stupor.

"I asked you whether the plan for James' summer was still on?"

"I guess so." Lily said. "He hasn't talked of cancelling it yet…"

"Final exams start soon." Andrea moaned coming to sit beside them. She opened her book and cast Sirius murderous look. They had been sitting alone together nearby. "I should have taken Peter up on his offer to study with him in the library. Sirius isn't letting me study at all. He keeps taking my book away form me." She said despairingly and opened a book she had in her hands.

Lily moaned. "Finals exams! Because of all that's happened I haven't opened a book since yesterday morning!"

Andrea chuckled. "You're still way ahead of me Lily. I haven't opened a book since the beginning of the year."

Everybody laughed good naturedly and the mood was suddenly lightened. Lily felt her spirits lift up slightly as everyone started making plans for the summer they would spend at James' house. Lily now partook in those plans happily. She would merely treat all of this as an 'experience'.

So what if they were married? It was only a bloody contract. It's not like they actually loved each other….it's not like James had asked her to marry him..he had been forced…forced because of a stupid mistake of Lily's.

Lily looked down the table where he was sitting with Remus. James chose that moment to glance at her. He gave her such a warm smile that Lily seemed taken aback. He had never smiled at her like that before; it made her stomach feel warm and gave her a heady feeling….

Lily felt her guilt increase tenfold. James was being so nice to her after her stupid blunder. He truly was a noble, magnanimous, selfless wizard.

ooOooOoo

"I am the most selfish wizard alive." James muttered bitingly, switching his gaze away form Lily who was now picking her food. "I should have waited, gotten better acquainted with her…how could I not know what her real personality was like? I had her Remus." He said looking at Remus now like a lost puppy. "I had her and let her go…"

"Prongs, I'm sorry to break this to you but you can't mend everything by acknowledging your love for her now." Remus said sharply.

"I thought you weren't going to give me pointers?" James commented amusedly.

"I won't give you any help as far as Rosalyn goes but as for Lily-I want to just see her happy…..with you." He added reluctantly. "Though I'm not sure you possess the caliber to keep her happy."

"Moony." James said in whiny voice. "I love her. I love her so much. I'll do everything in my power to keep her happy."

"And if she decides she's not happy with you?" Remus asked turning to look at him. "What if she can't truly be happy with you James? What if she finds a guy that will keep her happier than you ever could? What if she falls madly in love with a guy who loves her just as fervently back?"

James swallowed and looked down at his hands as if it hurt him to say what he was going to say next. "If he really makes her happy….and I mean really….part of me will happily let her go while the other part will devour itself in guilt for being unable to be the man she wanted in the end."

Remus raised an eyebrow in question. "So you would let her leave? You would let her go just like that?"

"If-" James said in a defeated voice. "-he truly made her happy and loved her as much as she-she-" James found he couldn't get the words out. He didn't want to say them, didn't even want to imagine her loving anyone but him. "-as much as she loved him." He ended miserably.

When had such emotions taken control? He pondered. Had they just been accumulating gradually, until they spilled over, forcing him to acknowledge them? Why hadn't he acknowledged them before? He was such a fool…

Remus suddenly clapped him on the back of the shoulder.

"Ingratiate yourself with her parents first. Didn't you say they were planning some sort of family outing? Take that opportunity to gain their utmost approval. Maybe you'll rise a little bit in Lily's eyes and she won't think of you as the little confused boy she sees you as right now."

James felt his mouth go dry. "Does she really see me as a little indecisive boy?"

"Yes and this isn't something to be fixed within a matter of weeks." Remus warned. "It could take months James. Be prepared to lay yourself out to her, totally vulnerable while all she does is fling your heart back at you. She won't let herself fall for you as easily this time, only to be left heartbroken again."

"But I won't break her hea-"

"She doesn't know that." Remus cut in. "And she'll be wary too. She'll be expecting you to break her heart this time. It's going to be hard."

James suddenly glanced down the table where Lily was sitting and laughing with her friends.

"I don't care how bloody hard it is." James muttered to Remus. "I don't care how long it takes as long as I get to hold her in my arms in the end and let her allow me to love her like she deserves to be loved."

"You got that out of a book." Remus said smartly.

James looked at Remus, put out. "I thought it was a very eloquent way of showing my feelings about Lily."

"You're not an old man yet James, you're still a 17 year old boy. Those lines were a very eloquent way of having other 17 year old boys point at you and say 'You must be gay'."

James smirked. "I'll prove them wrong eventually."

"Eventually." Remus agreed and silently added 'I hope.'

ooOooOo

"Rosalyn." Lily said and waved at her. She turned around. She was on her way to their charms class but unlike all the other times James wasn't with her.

Rosalyn turned and smiled.

"Where's James?" Lily queried.

Rosalyn looked at Lily sadly. "I would rather have expected him to be with you Lily." She said quietly.

Lily looked at Rosalyn stunned. "Why would he….." and it struck Lily.

Rosalyn must think James and she…

"Rosalyn…no. There's nothing like that between us. I think right now he is really confused and frustrated over what's happened so he probably wants to be alone."

Rosalyn shrugged. "I wonder if I'm still invited for the summer at your house."

"At my-oh you mean James' house."

"Yours too, now."

"No, James house." Lily said resolutely and then continued hesitantly. "Well…yes I think you are and just to make your invite confirmed I'm inviting you as well. You're going to be my guest."

Rosalyn smiled at Lily.

"Thank you Lily."

"No problem." Lily assured as they sat down for their final class of Charms before the final exam.

"You and James must be having a rough time. I'll try my best to help you two smooth it over."

Rosalyn smiled at Lily from beneath her lashes, trying to hide the doubt that everything would ever be smoothed over between them.

OOoooOoo

James had not counted on Lily studying like a mad woman for the exams. Whenever he saw her she was sitting and studying and revising.

She wouldn't even talk to him. An occasional "oh" and "yes that's nice" would emit from her mouth while he tried to talk to her but that was about it. Slightly bruised that she preferred books to him, James merely began sitting in the library and studying with her for lack of anything better to do.

"Lemme see your notes." James mumbled one night reaching over to look at her DADA notes.

"No." Lily hissed pulling them away from James furiously. "I won't let you see them. I worked hard on these notes and they in my opinion are the best set of notes to use while studying for final exams."

James looked at her taken aback. "I'd get my own but they're all the way in the common room. Just let me-"

"Get your own! I'm not going to let you beat me again!" she snapped childishly and went back to studying.

"Beat you?" James asked incredulously suddenly remembering how he'd taunted her about her OWLs being lower than his. He suddenly started to chuckle. "Lily is that why you've been studying so hard? You want to beat me this time?"

Lily looked up at James furiously. "And you're not helping! There's no way I can get better grades then you with you sitting here and studying. At least before you didn't care and all you did was play pranks. You're probably going to get the highest grades in our whole year now and I'm going to be second!" she moaned.

James couldn't help but laugh louder.

"Do you want me to let you win?" he suggested easily. "I personally don't care if I'm second-" he teased. "-or third or fourth or-"

"No!" Lily exclaimed. "You can't let me win it's-"

Her ranting was truncated by James' loud uproarious laugh. Madam Pince sent them a scathing look.

"You're laughing at me." She said weakly with a little bit of hurt in her eyes.

"I'm sorry sweetheart but I can't believe that you actually feel…threatened by me as far as grades go."

Lily tried to ignore the warm feeling in her stomach when he called her sweetheart.

"I-I-" she stuttered. She looked away in embarrassment.

"Is this because of that comment I made a week ago?" James asked gently.

Lily didn't reply.

"You know I only said it because I was angry at you Lily. One of the main reasons I scored more than you on OWLs is because my sister gave me pointers. She told me what most likely would come and what wouldn't. I knew the format already because my older sister had taken her own OWLs and shared her experience with me. It's like asking a person who already had McGonagall as a teacher what kind of tests she gives and what topics she concentrates on. You're not stupid, I'm just lucky."

Lily looked down at her hands. "I acted like such a child." She said quietly.

James chucked her under the chin affectionately and looped her hair behind her ear.

"Don't think I'm going to let you win brat." He teased.

Lily giggled. "Whatever Potter. I'm going to score more than you this time."

"We'll see about that, Potter." He replied winking at her.

She looked at him confused, before realization dawned upon her. She glared at him. He merely shrugged and smiled at her cheekily, reaching out to grab a quill.

Lily stilled his hand.

"I mean it James. I will score more than you. However, I want you to study hard too. Let's settle this. Don't let me off easily if that's what you're thinking of doing." She warned.

"I wouldn't dream of it." He replied chuckling and then with a hint of pride he said. "I have every faith in you beating me this year."

"Because you won't study on purpose?" Lily asked miserably. "I don't want you to do that."

"Not because I won't study on purpose but because I'm going to be too busy staring at your amazing legs to study."

"James Potter!" Lily hissed angrily, trying to tamp down the immense feeling of pleasure that surged through her. He was attracted to her.

"That was entirely inappropriate and out of hand to say to me! Who do you think you are?!" she whispered furiously. HE HAD A GIRLFIREND! How could he say that to her? "You…you contemptible, despicable man!" Lily raged in a furious whisper. "How could you even think of saying something like that to me?! What about Rosalyn? What about respecting me? I'm your friend James! I respect you and you just stare at my…at my…..even if it was a joke it was not only crude but completely out of hand!" she ended with finality.

"You're also my wife." He bit out stormily.

"Not really!" Lily said with a gasp. "James don't…..it's just a contract marriage! Don't take it seriously! Stop…..feeling as if you can take liberties with me!"

She shut her books and began gathering them up.

"I'm not one of those stupid friends with benefits." She raged furiously. "This is disgusting." She said with revulsion and turned to leave.

Standing up, James hand clamped down on her arm and swung her back around. He looked down at her angrily. He was trying to court her…to woo her..and she was..she was….

Standing up for his girlfriend…

James shook his head. His eyes softened suddenly as he looked down at Lily. Lily made to pull away.

"Don't." James whispered hoarsely and pulled her into a hug. "Don't move away from me." He said in a suffocating voice.

"James…" Lily said warily. "I don't know what's gotten into you but stop it. Ever since our contract marriage you've been like this. Two days into it you started acting….weird. Do you feel some sort of obligation to feel affection for me because we-"

"Stop." James said achingly. "Stop. Don't talk like that."

Lily pulled away from him angrily.

"Then stop forcing yourself to like me!" she exploded. "Stop talking like we're…a couple!" she ended shrilly. "And if you only think of me as a friend then don't insult me by saying things like…like what you just said! It's disgusting." She ended.

"Why?" James suddenly asked angry as well. "Why is it disgusting for me to appreciate a part of your anatomy?"

"Because you have no right to James." Lily said sternly. "Stop thinking you do."

And with that she left without a backward glance.

Duly chastened James looked down at the ground while shoving his hands into his pockets.

"You do know that Lily only sees you as a friend." Remus commented that night in the dorm.

"Yes, yes." James said exasperatedly. "I know Moony. I know."

"Then why-" Sirius began laughing. "-did u admit that you liked ogling at her legs? You barely ever see them anyway because she's always wearing long robes."

"It's what I would normally say." James mumbled turning a light shade of pink.

Remus turned to look at James and asked him quite blandly. "DO you like looking at her legs?"

James shrugged. "Why wouldn't I?" was his mumbled reply.

Remus thought for a moment before saying. "Did you just decide to say that on the spur of the moment, or was it something you've said to tons of other girls and its worked?"

James looked up at Remus like a deer caught in the headlights. "It always worked before." He said feebly.

"It won't work now." Remus said gently. "What were you thinking before you said that?"

"That she was smart enough to beat me with both hands tied behind her back if she wanted to." James replied.

"That-" he began happily. "-is exactly what you should have said."

Remus smiled triumphantly.

"Really?" James asked awkwardly.

"Yes." Remus said with triumph. "There's hope for you yet Prongs."

"Oh no there is not!" an angry voice raged as a crack resounded through the room.

Andrea had slammed the door to their dorm open and was looking at James as if he was the vilest thing on this earth.

"Don't you dare-" she began vehemently. "-try and get her back. James I will kill you with my own two hands if you try!" she pointed to him accusingly. "You don't deserve her! Even if you try it won't work! Right now she is sitting with Rosalyn and trying to hatch a plan to get you to stop giving her the cold shoulder. Does that sound like a girl who would fling herself into your arms if you even tried?! She's helping your girlfriend get closer to you! Bloody hell James quit while you're ahead!" Andrea burst out. "Forget Lily and move on! She's already forgotten about you. She told me-" Andrea took a deep breathe before plowing on. "-she told me herself that if you ever did come back to her and say you loved her she would never ever take you back. You hurt her too much. You've lost her respect as a significant other-don't lose her respect as a good friend."

Andrea ended quietly, truly deciding she was making the best decision for her best friend.

"If-" Andrea began anew in a more tortured voice. "-you do go to her and say you love her, it's going to break her heart to have to reject you. She's going to feel guilty beyond belief for turning you away and it's me she's going to come to for a shoulder to cry on. I know her James. Don't make her go through that torture!" Andrea pleaded. "Don't make her hurt one of her closest friends just because he doesn't know when to keep his mouth shut. She doesn't want to turn you away but she will if it comes to that and then you'll lose any sort of relationship you already have with her."

Andrea let out a sad sigh hoping James understood the message she was trying to get across.

James didn't hear the door shut as Andrea left with Sirius.

"I guess that's it." James whispered. "My first decision was the right one. I can't lose her as a friend Moony. If that's all…that's all she can be to me I'd rather have her as a friend than as nothing at all. At least I can see her if she's my friend…"

Remus sighed. "Whatever you think is best James." He murmured and stood up. "I have to go meet Cassidy."

James grinned. "You're so lucky to have such a perfect relationship Remus. I envy you and Cassidy. You love her and she loves you…it's perfect."

Remus looked at James dryly. "You think saying I love you to each other is the end? On the contrary, it's just the beginning." And with that he left.

"The beginning of what?" James asked into the empty room.

There was no reply.

OOoOOooOOoo

"What did you do to your hair?" Remus asked in disbelief. He stared at Cassidy-she had cut her curly hair so that it didn't even reach her shoulders. Instead, her curly hair was cut so that it curled around her face and ended just below the nape of her long neck.

"Don't you like it?" Cassidy asked nervously trying to finger a curly strand. "It goes down to my shoulders if I straighten it…" she trailed off. Remus liked long hair. "I just thought it was time for a new hair do…I mean I know you like long hair but I was so sick of it." She said feelingly. "I was always a little tom boyish, keeping long hair was always a chore. I'll grow it back though if you don't like it." She added in a rush.

Remus smiled and wrapped his arms around her.

"I was just shocked." He assured. "You don't have to keep your hair long just because I like it love. I liked the fact that you kept your hair long for me." He admitted. "But this is a pleasant change." He fingered one of her curls. "It really suits you."

Cassidy smiled mischievously. "Now I can do this." She whispered and kissed his neck tickling his chin with her curly hair. She pulled back and smiled. "And I think that it's a fair exchange for you tickling me with that stubble of yours." Cassidy accused.

Remus smiled down at her.

"You know I love you no matter what you do to your hair or how you look." He said quietly.

Cassidy smiled. "I know." She replied. "I love you too Remus. Despite the fact that your mood swings are that of a girl PMSing whenever it's around full moon time." Laughing at his disgruntled look, she linked her arm through his as they walked out of the common room for a stroll along the Hogwarts grounds.

OOOOooooooOOooOo

"Sirius." Andrea said warningly as she sat with him and Peter studying in the library. "Stop poking me in the ribs and go back to studying."

"But I'm bored." He whined.

"Then leave." was her brusque reply.

"But-"

"OUT!" Andrea yelled.

Madam Pince kicked all three of them out within two seconds flat.

Sirius snickered.

"Now we're all out." He said suavely.

Andrea looked at him murderously and then exchanged a glance with Peter.

"I'll hold him while you hit." Peter supplied.

"Perfect idea." Andrea whispered. She looked at Sirius only to see him turn the corner at the end of the hallway. "Scaredy-cat….I mean dog." She ended lamely.

Peter let out a whoosh of breathe. "We should get some sleep. Our last exam is tomorrow."

OOoooO

"I know it's nothing but a contract marriage Lily." Derek said patiently the next morning while he walked down with her to breakfast. "But you better be careful. We teenage boys have very little….self control." He finally decided. "What I mean is…James might try to…take advantage of your naiveté." He ended bluntly.

Lily laughed. "Derek I highly doubt that. We're just friends and he's got Rosalyn-"

"He doesn't." Derek suddenly cut in. "She's creating a huge furor and every seventh year has heard about it. She's whining to all her seventh year friends about how James Potter has gotten it into his head that now since he's married to you albeit contract married-he can't see her anymore. She was always someone all the boys wanted to grab but now everyone just pities her. She just sits in the Ravenclaw common room and cries or smiles sadly into the fire. It's pathetic." He ended bluntly.

Lily tsked. "I talked to her last night. She's doing better now. She's going to sit with us at lunch and I invited her to James mansion over the summer. Whatever's going on will resolve itself." She assured.

"I hope you're right." Derek said heavily. "Just remember you can count on me if you need me." He said quietly.

"Thank you." Lily said smiling at him.

Derek suddenly pressed something into her hand. Looking down at it Lily saw that it was an invitation to his graduation.

"You'll come wont you?" he asked anxiously.

Lily smiled and nodded at Derek. They went their own separate ways once they reached the lunch table. Lily sat down across from James.

"Morning." She said brightly and seemed taken aback by the look of raw pain in his eyes once they landed on her. "Are you….all right?" she finally asked. "You look kind of…sad…" she trailed off and suddenly a light bulb went off. He was already missing Rosalyn.

"I'm fine." James said tiredly.

"I know how to cheer you up." Lily said excitedly. She waved Rosalyn over. Missing the resigned sigh that came from James as Rosalyn came and plopped down beside James.

"So how's your preparation for your DADA exam?" Rosalyn asked James, turning to him hesitantly.

"All right." James replied as he reached for a muffin.

There was silence for a few minutes and then,

"How about that NEWT you have today?" Lily asked Rosalyn.

Rosalyn groaned. "I'm probably going to fail potions. I'm awful at it."

"I'm sure you'll do fine." Lily said kindly, she swung her gaze to James. "Right James?"

James nodded through a mouthful of muffin, not even looking up from his plate.

Lily let out a defeated sigh. Maybe he just didn't feel like talking? What was she supposed to do? How….and then an idea lit up her eyes.

Laughing, Lily turned to look at Rosalyn.

"I wonder what's gotten into him today? He doesn't usually act like this, does he Rosalyn?"

Rosalyn smiled. "No." she shot James a sideways glance. "Maybe he's just really hungry today." She supplied teasingly.

It would have been a good save, if it wasn't for the fact that James was no longer eating but reading the Daily Prophet.

"I remember the first time I met him was when I got sorted into Gryffindor." Lily supplied and said with a giggle. "He was practically trying to inhale the food in front of him and when I asked for a pitcher of pumpkin juice, he handed it to me without even looking at me. I thought he was very rude and would probably become bigger than Hogwarts by the end of seventh year."

James suddenly laughed. "Already sixth year and Hogwarts is still bigger than I am." He said with a wink, turning a page in his paper.

Relieved that her plan was working, Lily plowed on.

"Do you remember the first time you met Rosalyn?" Lily urged. "I saw that look on your face, you thought she was beautiful." She turned to Rosalyn. "I was about to tell him to wipe the drool off the corner of his mouth."

Rosalyn suddenly glowed. She turned to look at James with huge, pleased eyes. "Really James?"

James eyes had hardened by now and he was suddenly looking at the paper sadly. Rosalyn reached out to take a sip of her orange juice, as she waited for James to reply.

"James?" Lily urged. "Don't you remember?"

And she had to restrain herself from gasping as he lifted his soft, sad eyes to look at her.

"Yes." He said softly. "I was with you."

And he went back to his paper without even glancing at Rosalyn.

Lily was able to decipher the double meaning behind those words and completely flustered, looked down at the floor.

There was a clatter as Rosalyn slammed her goblet back onto the table. Lily looked up to see Rosalyn quite shaken up. The signal for end of breakfast went up and Lily began gathering her things up.

"I-I-" she fumbled looking between James and Rosalyn as if she had committed some sort of grave sin. "I need to go talk to Andrea about something James. I'll meet you up outside the Great Hall so we can walk down to our exam together. With that she was gone and Rosalyn stood up to leave as well.

"Can I talk to you?" James asked quietly as Rosalyn turned her back on him to leave. She nodded silently and followed him out of the Great Hall.

James looked down at Rosalyn and the look in her eyes told him that she knew what was coming. Tears began to build up in her eyes and James felt wretched.

"Look-" James said to her with a sigh, "-we can still be friends."

Rosalyn suddenly felt her lower lip tremble. She tried to keep it under control. She wouldn't cry…

"Is this…is this it then?" Rosalyn asked sadly.

James ran a hand through his hair.

"Look-" he began sadly and took both her hands in his. "-I liked you a lot Rosalyn ( he ignored her wince at the word LIKED) and I thought you were the one but…" he let out a small sigh, suddenly glancing towards the exit of the Great Hall where Lily had said she'd meet him.

"It's Lily." Rosalyn suddenly said in awe as she looked at James in a new light. "It's Lily…DEAR GOD IT'S LILY!" she screamed.

"Quiet down." James bit out.

"James-" Rosalyn said in a suffocated voice. "-I knew there was something wrong but I didn't know..another…you liked…and it's LILY."

James gave her hands a small squeeze. "I'm sorry." He whispered.

"Don't be." Rosalyn said in a hallow voice. "I should have broken up with you myself. Ever since your birthday you haven't come to me…" she trailed off. James knew what she meant and he sighed regretfully.

"Do you regret us now?" she finally asked looking up at him sadly.

James decided that a little white lie wouldn't hurt.

"Of course not." He said kindly and took her head between both his hands. "Look Lyn you'll always be one of my closest friends. You're still invited to my house too….I'm sorry….I'm so sorry…" he trailed off and let go of her face.

Rosalyn smiled jauntily at him. "You won't mind if I don't concede defeat just quite yet, do you?" she asked with watery eyes.

James laughed and chucked her under the chin. "That's my girl."

Rosalyn suddenly hugged him…hard.

"Oh…I'm sorry." Said a new voice. James turned to see Lily standing there.

Lily felt like she'd just been gutted. Of course she wanted them together but to see Rosalyn clinging to him like that…Lord she would have to get used to this pain….

She covered up her pain and smiled. "Glad to know you two are busy making up." And she left.

James pushed Rosalyn away in frustration.

"She won't have me Lyn." He finally admitted. "She doesn't feel anything for me. I love her beyond belief." He admitted and didn't see Rosalyn wince in pain. "But she…." He shook his head.

Rosalyn tugged at his sleeve. James looked at her.

"Will you come to my graduation? As a friend?" she asked steadily.

James smiled. "Of course I will."

OooOOoOoO

"We're done!" Lily shouted happily as they all emerged from their DADA exam.

James was behind her. She grabbed his notes and threw them up into the air, allowing them to fall around her. Everyone gave the two a wide berth as they exited the class and walked on.

She turned and stared at James happily through the falling papers and James felt his breathe catch, she was so wonderful….but he couldn't think further because Lily was laughing and pulling him along with her towards the Great Hall for lunch.

'I love you.' He thought to himself as she pulled him along unknowingly through the halls. 'You may not know it, you may think I'm stupid….you may even hate me after everything I've done but I love you so much…'

He stopped short and pulled Lily towards him. She looked at him, confused.

'I wish you'd forget all the hurt I caused you.'

He looped a strand of hair behind her ear.

'I wish you would look up at me as you once used to-with expectation._' _

He smiled down at her tenderly and fixed her crooked Prefect pin on her robes.

'Please Lily, I know we don't have a chance anymore but I love you. You can't hear me but I want to say that I love you so much and I'm so so so sorry…'

He played with a bit of string on her robe.

"Something on your mind?" Lily asked sincerely.

'I love you.'

"You could say that." He replied sadly and cupped her cheek. "I think you're going to beat me this time." He teased just as Lily allowed herself to get lost in his caress.

Her eyes came back into focus and she laughed, pulling away from him.

"We'll see." She said evasively, hoping it was true. She wanted to get the highest marks in her house.

'I love you so much.'

A/n:aiigghht.,…that was abt 20 pages right there. Lol. And I was going to chop this into two halves originally BUT I got so many reviews…I decided to just post the whole thing…I felt so guilty keeping so many people in suspense!! Honestly…..ok so next chapter…hopefully by next week. And everyone plz pray that my beta gets better. There is something wrong with her eye. I don't think it is anything serious but she might need an operation…so don't yell at me or something if my chaps suddenly drop down from their usual standard. And plzzzz everyone pray that it's nothing serious and she gets better soon!!! Thank you so much!!!

Here is a summary of next chapter

GRADUATION

END OF YEAR PRANK

NATALIES RELATIONSHIP DILEMMA

….

Oh yea and let';s not forget…L/J interaction!!ehehehe.

And one more thing..someone asked…how wud they know if underage wizards even had sex with those who ere of age. Um…yea they wudnt…unless one of them got pregnant…yea then they wud def know and the parents wud have grounds to press charges if they wanted. Or like maybe if someone walked in on them and caught them red hnded….yea….then they wud know. But no they don't go around doing random tests or something. It's kind of like hoping that kids don't bring drugs to school (eventho they do) and using a very harsh punishment as an incentive NOT to bring drugs to school. However, some kids still bring drugs to school…nd they don't get caught cuz there are no searches or anything that take place. The onlyu way they get caught is actually being caught with the stuff in ur hands or smoking up infront of the techers…lol yes weird example but this is similar to the rule of underage wizards not being allowed to have sex with those who r of age.

Ok pple I hope I cleared that up! RnR plz!!!


	28. Chapter 28:Summer hols begin

A/N: OK here is the next chappie..some old characters re-emerge in this chapter. Sonia…one of the girls that went on that girls day out thing with Lily and the girls. Remember…one of the girls whose boyfriend was in seventh year. Um..oh and we see more of Bryan Clearwater….a very good guy friend of Lilys…she staye din his dorm after she caught james kissing Rosalyn. Im just refreshing everyones memory bc when my beta read abt them she said WHO ARE THEY? So …yea…anyway read on!!

The next day Lily sat with James and Andrea in the guest seating area of the Great Hall. Sonia, a sixth year Hufflepuff, who occasionally participated in the girls' days out, sat a few seats away. Her seventh year boyfriend had invited her to his graduation. They were waving to each other and smiling. James snorted, resisting the urge to barf. 'Honestly how mushy can a person get?' he thought. Sonia was now blowing Timothy kisses from where she sat. Clearly discomfited by the public display of affection, he turned his head away, looking around the Great Hall.

The tables had been swept aside with one side reserved for the graduating class while the left side was strictly for invited guests. The raised platform where the teachers sat had also been altered so that a large clearing was present across which the graduating students would walk to Dumbledore and get their diploma.

Lily watched as the different people who had impacted her life so greatly each stepped up, got their diploma and seemed to exit the safe cocoon of Hogwarts. They were truly independent young adults now. Lily felt an odd constriction in her throat. At this time, next year she would be up there getting her own diploma with younger students looking on in awe of the fact that she was stepping into the real world now.

Wave upon wave of nostalgia washed upon her. No longer would she see Terry on his broomstick flying around on the Quidditch pitch, Greg would be sorely missed with his teasing remarks and twinkling eyes. Her eyes remained steady on Derek as he stepped up to get his own diploma and Lily suddenly felt the lump in her throat getting bigger Derek….oh Derek….he loved her so much. She had learnt so much from him. She learnt how to open up and show her true personality to more than just people in her immediate circle. Derek had taught her what being in a real relationship was like…he had been her first kiss….he had taught her how to kiss…and he had taught her that there was nothing embarrassing about wanting to kiss your boyfriend. Lily felt a smile touch her lips. He would always hold a special place in her heart no matter what happened.

Lily suddenly jumped as she felt James hand softly come to rest upon hers. She looked up at him to see him smiling down at her gently.

"You OK?" he asked sincerely.

Lily smiled and nodded. "It's just that…well they're gone." She finished lamely. She motioned towards the graduating class, "They're going away from our world and entering a new one."

James gave her hand a small squeeze, before letting go, and turned his attention to Dumbledore.

Once the ceremony was over, Lily couldn't help but feel a substantial loss over the 7th years leaving. She wouldn't see Greg and Derek pushing each other in the halls ever again or see Terry waking by with an ever ready smile on his lips.

"You better come and visit." Lily said with a watery smile to Derek as he hugged her after the graduation ceremony was completed.

"I will." He assured her and let her go.

A few feet away Andrea stood in front of Terry with a small smile on her face.

"Keep in touch." She said quietly. "Don't get all bigheaded just because you have a job now."

Terry smiled at her. "I'll miss you, you know."

"You better." Andrea threatened with a laugh. She looked towards Laura who stood beside him. "However I think you're going to miss someone else a lot more."

Terry chuckled and put an arm around Laura.

"I don't think I'll miss her that much." He teased and Laura elbowed him in the stomach.

"I won't miss you either." She muttered in a huff.

Terry and Andrea laughed, catching the attention of another group that stood a little ways away.

Terry's laughter soon ended, however, as Laura winked at a random seventh year, who smiled at her in reply. Terry glared at the boy, before turning his gaze on Laura.

"What?" she asked innocently, before she and Andrea burst into peals of laughter. "I was…just te-teaching you…how to…miss me" she managed to choke out between her laughter.

James and Rosalyn finally looked away from the laughing threesome and turned to look at each other.

"I don't want to let you go James." Rosalyn whispered quietly as she looked up at him with big round eyes.

James sighed and felt his heart twinge painfully. He didn't want to do this to her.

"There's no point Rosalyn." He whispered placating her, or at least trying to. "I-can't…we can't ever be the same again. Would you willingly keep me by your side knowing that I love someone else?"

"I want to." Rosalyn whispered miserably. "I want to and I would but I know I can't do that."

It struck James how odd it was that while Lily would have had all of him or none of him Rosalyn was content even if she didn't hold his heart….

"Go on James." Rosalyn said with a heavy sigh."We have to go for our pictures now and then we'll be going down to Hogsmeade to celebrate. I'll see you tomorrow."

James looked at Rosalyn hesitatingly. No matter what she would always hold a special place in his heart. They had had their good times and James didn't think he could ever forget them. Rosalyn turned her back on him and left, James watched her approach her friends and then he too turned and left, with Andrea and Lily behind him.

With that, three people left their past behind and prepared for their future.

It was like a snake shedding its skin because now finally, each could say good bye to the person who made a significant impact in his or her life and move on with a clear conscience.

Upon reaching the Gryffindor dormitory James watched as Lily followed Andrea upstairs to begin packing. Tomorrow, they would leave Hogwarts like they would at the end of any other year. The difference this year, however, was that Lily was going home with James. He felt a small smile play at his lips. Lily would go home with him and even if she didn't love him. James couldn't help but feel a smudge of satisfaction.

oOooOooooO

It was the last prank of the year and Lily grudgingly admitted that the boys had to be given props for originality.

At first everyone had been lulled into a sense of false security. All throughout the feast nothing happened….nothing.

Even Natalie had looked at the boys unbelievingly as if she couldn't quite come to terms with fact that there was no end of year prank.

Then, just as Lily reached for a blueberry tart for dessert, she realized something very odd….usually she'd have to reach slightly up to get a tart but ….now she was reaching downwards. Looking around, she realized that she was floating. Further perusal of the Great Hall showed that other people (except for the Slytherin table) were also beginning to levitate above their tables and slowly get higher and higher and…

Lily let out a sudden yelp as she found herself hovering somewhere between the high ceiling and the ground.

James (who had been sitting beside her) suddenly grabbed her arm reassuringly. Lily clutched it.

"If I plummet to the ground suddenly I will personally chop you up into a thousand pieces and feed them to the giant squid." Lily said angrily.

"I'll let you." James said with a straight face. "Do you honestly think I would let that happen? Have a little faith Lily." He teased.

Lily didn't reply but held onto his arm for dear life. James looked down at her affectionately as she clutched his arm. Turning to Sirius, he inclined his head.

Suddenly, the floor was inundated by water. The Slytherins began to splutter, curse and yell in outrage as they floundered around in the lagoon.

Everyone began to laugh and point as huge red and gold words above Snape appeared saying

'I finally washed my hair.'

Lily put a hand over her mouth to stifle her giggle.

"James." She said trying to sound stern. "That was very mean! Severus is my friend."

"But it's funny." James said with a chuckle.

Lily shook her head. "He's my friend."

"No." James said with hardened eyes. "He's not. Lily he's-he-well you remember what he said to Remus the night of the ball!"

Lily shook her head again. "I don't care. He was just angr-"

She stopped midsentence as all of a sudden there was a big flash and everything was back to normal. The water was gone and everyone was back in their seats, instead of floating around.

McGonagall was upon the Marauders, yelling incoherently.

"Tainted the food for our feast!!...FLOODED THE GREAT HALL!! FLOOODED! NEVER IN MY LIFE……EVEN THE TEACHERS FOOD SO WE WOULD FLOAT!!!...doused the Slytherin house with water!!!! You four-"

And then suddenly a squawking was heard. McGonagall turned around to see that all the Slytherins had turned into DUCKS!

"They were still supposed to be in the water when that happened." Sirius whispered nervously as a table full of ducks began squawking and pecking at their food.

"IN MY OFFICE THE FOUR OF YOU NOW!!!"

And thus the Marauders were marched down to McGonagalls office where they very convincingly explained that even if they had done this she had no proof on them. McGonagall's nostrils flared as she called in a house-elf who confirmed that these very same misters visited the kitchens in the morning and told them to use a new ingredient in all of their recipes because it was said to make the food taste better.

McGonagall sat back in stunned silence.

"If you four could easily slip a levitating potion into our food, who's to say someone else couldn't slip something more sinister in it?" She suddenly turned to the elf, barked at it to go back and stood up to leave the room. "I must discuss this with Albus."

"Uh…Professor?" James asked nervously.

McGonagall clearly disrobed by the lack of rules in the kitchens looked at James as if she hadn't seen him and told him to run along, before proceeding to go and talk to Dumbledore.

"She had a point." Remus stated as they left her office. "We were easily able to manipulate the house-elves, someone else with...more ominous intentions could easily do the same."

James ruffled his hair nervously. "You're right." He ended.

Sirius was beamed, "Why the solemn faces? We just got out of two months worth of detention scott free!!"

With that he poked James in the back with his wand.

"Get moving if you want to catch a carriage with your Lilikins in it."

James shot Sirius a dirty look before suddenly increasing his pace.

Sirius guffawed.

OoooOo

"I suppose they'll order the house-elves never to put ingredients given by someone else into their food." Lily mused as she walked with James, Sirius and Natalie towards the carriages that would take them to the Hogwarts train.

"I guess so." James replied. "Well it's not like we're going to play the same prank twice. So no harm done to us."

"True." Lily conceded. She looked up to see Snape a few feet away from her. "Severus!" Lily called.

Snape turned around and his face hardened as he saw Lily approaching him.

"Hi." She said coming to a stop in front of him.

"What?" was his icy reply.

Lily was taken aback by his tone but reminded herself that her friends had just played a very cruel prank on him.

"Listen, I'm sorry about what James and Sirius did." She said honestly. "I'll have a talk with them so they don't play anymore pranks on you."

"Save it. I don't need a Mudblood's pity." He said crisply. Lily gasped at the insult, glad that her friends were too far away to hear what he'd said. "Don't ever talk to me again. I don't want to be seen conversing with the likes of you. A Mudblood is much too below me to talk to." And with that he turned and left.

"What happened to him?" Lily asked brokenly as James, Sirius and Natalie finally reached her. "He was….was good! He wasn't what he is now! What happened?!"

James put a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"Let's go" he whispered in her ear and steered her out of the hallway and past the doors leading into the bright sunshine.

"Lily sit with us!" Bryan Clearwater suddenly called out.

Lily smiled at her friends.

"We're going to be spending the whole summer together anyway." She reasoned and went to sit with Bryan.

Sirius laughed. "Guess you still didn't get to sit with Lily on the carriage ride."

"Whatever." James mumbled before getting into a carriage with the Marauders.

OOoooooOo

Natalie was about to step into a carriage with Cassidy and Andrea when all of a sudden an arm shot out to grab her elbow. Turning to look, she felt the pit of her stomach drop. It was Jeff.

"Sit with me." He simply stated.

"I'd rather not." Natalie spat and resumed getting into the carriage with her friends in it.

When the carriage started up Andrea raised an eyebrow in question, expecting Natalie to spill.

"He plays mind games." Natalie supplied when she couldn't stand her friends questioning looks anymore. "The very next day after he snogged me in front of the punchbowl at the Christmas ball, I found him flirting with some 4th year Hufflepuff! I mean, he-he's impossible! He expects girls to fall at his feet! He's so immature! He always expects me to come to him instead of him coming to me. Well I stopped. When I found him flirting with that…that…well…Hufflepuff! I decided that he was nothing but a player. Besides-" Natalie added in a small voice. "-I kind of like someone else now."

At this both her friends leaned in eagerly.

"Who?" Cassidy asked interestedly.

"Um…you don't know him." She finally said miserably. "No one knows him and I've only met him….twice." she concluded.

Cassidy exchanged a glance with Andrea and looked at Natalie suspiciously. "Does he go to Hogwarts?"

"NO!" Natalie burst out and the two girls could tell she had been dying to tell someone but because of all that had ensued she'd avoided spilling her worries. "He's 21 years old and I am a minor and he's much too old for me! It's awful!" she ended as her two friends gasped. She then continued, "And I like him so much!"

"How did you meet?" Andrea asked as Cassidy patted her on the back.

"At that club we went to the night of the Christmas ball." Natalie said in a small voice. "So basically he thinks that I am 17 and of age…he doesn't know that I'm 15 going on 16! He's a bloody 6 years older than me! I didn't even get a chance to tell him because halfway through our second dance he had to leave abruptly."

"When was the second time you met?!" Andrea asked worriedly. An older guy….guys that old…were usually trouble.

"At the last Hogsmeade weekend." Natalie said through her sniffling. "We've been writing to each other through owls and I mentioned a Hogwarts trip to Hogsmeade, he said he needed to pick some stuff up from Hogsmeade anyway and we met up."

"Are you two…going out?" Cassidy asked cautiously.

Natalie shook her head. "We're not but I really like him and I just know that if we keep on meeting and talking he will eventually ask me out it's just that I can't say yes! I'm still a minor!"

Andrea put her head in her hands. And she thought she had problems…..

"I didn't like him at first...at least not on the romantic sense." Natalie said quietly. "When we met at that club he asked me to dance and we started talking and I told him I was in Hogwarts and he assumed I was in seventh year and…and…oh I let him think it!! Then he started asking me what I wanted to do after I got out of Hogwarts and I said I didn't know yet. He said I could contact him anytime if I needed guidance or he could even pull a few strings at the Ministry of Magic and get me a job there! Well a few weeks after I met him he sent me an owl with a bunch of pamphlets with information on different jobs. I thought it was rather sweet of him and wrote him a thank you note and he wrote back and then I wrote back and then...oh it just happened! By the time that Hogsmeade trip rolled around I was whipped!"

"Natalie." Cassidy said sympathetically. "You're going to have to tell him sometime."

"What if he decides I'm too young for him?"

"If he really likes you." Andrea said wisely. "Age wont matter."

The carriage suddenly stopped and the girls climbed out of it quietly.

Cassidy and Andrea tacitly agreed not to show their strong dislike of Natalie liking an older man. Both, however, vowed they would not let the girl meet him alone until they were sure he was a good person.

OooOoooOoooo

The ride home was pretty uneventful. They all changed out of their robes, donned Muggle clothing and in Lily's case, slept the whole way.

"Why's she so tired?" James asked glancing towards her. "Has she been sleeping all right?"

Cassidy smiled comfortingly. "She's just tired James. Last night all of us 6th year Gryffindor girls stayed up till quite late, gossiping and whatnot."

James looked at Cassidy and teased. "Confidential girl talk?"

"You could say that." She admitted with a smile.

"Hey, think you guys have enough room for me?" a new voice spoke up.

It was Rosalyn. She had been sitting with her Ravenclaw friends up until now.

"Sure." James said motioning towards a few empty seats in their compartment. It wasn't as cramped because it was one of the compartments upfront- one among the few compartments reserved for prefects or sometimes multiple teachers. There were ample seats as well as substantial walking area inside the compartment.

Rosalyn sat down beside Natalie and smiled at her. Natalie, who was twisting a bit of paper in her hands and looking outside repeatedly didn't deign to reply.

"What did you do?" Cassidy suddenly asked noticing Natalie's anxiety.

"Well-" Natalie began quietly. "-he-he's coming to pick someone up at platform 9 ¾. "

"Oh no!" Andrea burst out. "Why didn't you tell us this before?"

"I was too nervous too." Natalie admitted quietly and looked away.

Everyone else looked at Natalie totally mystified.

"You might as well tell them." Natalie said in a suffocated voice.

"Tell us what?" came a sleepy voice. Lily had finally woken up and James eyes lit up softly as he watched her rub the sleep from her eyes and look at Natalie curiously.

He then fixed his attention on Cassidy, who was telling Natalie's story to the occupants of the compartment.

By the time they stopped at the train station Natalie had been yelled at by Sirius and James for ever getting remotely involved with someone 6 years older than her while Remus had questioned her sanity. Feeling miserable, she opened the compartment door to go out and meet him only to have Sirius slam the compartment door shut again and look her squarely in the eye.

"Either we all meet him or you don't meet him at all." He said giving her an ultimatum.

Now Natalie loved Sirius, she truly did, he was like an older brother as were James, Remus and Peter but she couldn't help but feel her ire rise.

"It's my life." She retorted.

"We're YOUR friends." James snapped. "And this bloke needs to know exactly who you hang out with so he knows we will come after his blood if he tries to do anything out of hand with you. For Christ's sake he could be one of those bloody Deatheaters we've been hearing so much about in the papers!"

Natalie winced. They were right. She merely bowed her head and opened the door for them to follow her out.

Natalie began searching the crowds when suddenly she heard a voice boom "James!"

"Kingsley!" James called and waved at him.

Kingsley Shacklebolt began walking over towards James only to have his eyes land on the girl in front of James.

"Natalie." He said with surprise and pleasure in his voice. He extended his hands. "How are you?"

Everyone looked at Kingsley in shock as Natalie smiled back at him.

Natalie put her hands in his and then looked at James. "You two know each other?"

"You know him?" James asked with narrowed eyes, his gaze straying to where the two were clasping each others hands loosely.

"This is um…this is…" Natalie struggled.

"Of course I know her. I met her at a club awhile back. "Kingsley said kindly. He looked at her fondly. "So now you're a graduate."

"No." Natalie croaked out. "No…I'm not."

And everyone walked away discreetly to allow Natalie the privacy she wanted.

It didn't help that Kingsley nearly choked her age out in a half yell. It also didn't help that he had come to pick James and his friends up, doing James sister a favor. Another thing to put a damper on everything was the fact that Kingsley would not talk to Natalie. The journey to Diagon Alley was quiet and sullen.

Once everyone reached James' house after flooing from Diagon Alley, Kingsley left them. Natalie's despairing look was enough to make everybody pity her.

"Is your sister home?" Rosalyn asked as they all arrived in James' mansion. They had all arrived inside his living room which, in Lily's opinion, was huge. The vast room was covered in thick dark beige carpeting with a huge dark maroon sofa right in front of the marble fireplace. Sofa chairs flanked the sofa on either side, thus forming a semi circle around the fireplace. Further behind this sitting area, on the left side was a bookcase filled with books and two more sofa chairs situated around the case.

"Nice." Lily murmured and then turned to James as she spoke.

"Most likely my Mum's home." James said quietly.

"But-" Rosalyn ventured as she watched James walk towards the door. "-didn't you say your mother died in childbirth?"

James sighed and merely walked out.

"She's not his biological mum." Lily explained tentatively not sure if it was her place but someone had to tell everyone. No one really knew about this except for maybe Sirius.

"She's his fathers' sister and she adopted him after his father passed away. They don't…get along." Lily ended sorrowfully before walking out of the room to catch up with James. Lily rushed after James only just noticing the atrium and the two curving staircases, starting on both sides and curving up to meet at the same landing. The space on the white marble floor between the two curving staircases was taken up by a round water fountain with a jet of water spurting out of it and almost reaching the landing where the two staircases met. Knuts glittered and winked from the bottom of the water fountain. Lily felt her heart twinge as she faintly realized that this was the water fountain James had thrown Knuts into, wishing for his dead father to come back to him when he had been a little kid. At the age of ten, James had lost his father and had had no mother to take care of him. His aunt had then adopted him.

Lily sighed; James only called his aunt "Mum" because she asked him to. There were so many differences that the two needed to settle. James resented her because he thought she was trying to take his father's place. It didn't help that she looked like a female version of his father (Julie had confided this to her over wizard net). Also, his aunt tried her hardest to coddle James but James never looked at her as a parent so he refused to accept her parental advances. He didn't want anyone to replace the parents he didn't have. Lily felt her heart constrict, James had never even known a mothers love.

As for his aunt, well, unfortunately James reminded her so much of her brother that she was always trying to find her brother in his son and was continuously disappointed because James was quite different from his reticent, serene, intellectual father.

One pushed the other away while the other tried to pull closer, only to be disappointed. Both of them had serious issues. There had been times when James had been seriously sick and there had been no one to take care of him. His 'mum' would be out shopping, living her life and come home only to bring soup for him. There was a house elf constantly at James side but Lily knew that when you were a little kid and you were sick nothing was better than having your mother taking care of you.

Lily suddenly felt tears prick her eyes just thinking of a 10 year old James, sick in bed with a fever and no one but a house elf by his side. His aunt would be out shopping and Julie would most likely be at a friends' house. Not knowing what her brother was going through. James sister tried. She really did but she wasn't his mother and of course she refused to take the place of his mother anyway. Julie loved James to no end but she would not be the mother he never had. She was his sister and would stay his sister.

Lily reached the kitchen and saw James sitting there where his mum had laid out tea as well as cookies. She wasn't in the room.

"That was nice of her." Lily murmured.

James snorted. "All she had to do was tell the house elves to do this." He bit into a cookie.

Lily let out a small sigh and took a cookie to bite into as well. Everyone else came to sit around the table as well.

"So-" James began after a few minutes. "-first of all we're going to go to the beach and then we'll go to the mountains. How about one month per place?"

"Not so fast." Came a new voice. Everyone turned to see Julie standing in the door way with a suitcase in tow.

"Julie!" Lily exclaimed and stood up to hug her.

"What are you doing here?" James asked. He eyed her suitcase. "With that suitcase?"

"Well-" Julie said setting her suitcase down. "-I'm going to be staying here for the summer. My husband is going to be busy throughout this summer with stupid business meetings. We closed up our mansion in Devon and decided that I'd stay here. During intervals he'll come and visit me. Also-" Julie leveled a harsh stare at James. "-I think you've used my poor husband enough James. You're 17. You need to learn the ropes of the business Dad left you. My husband's been handling it so far and he will continue to handle it until you graduate but it's time you learned HOW to handle it. You should start taking an interest in your business affairs James, enough procrastinating. In July, for three weeks, you're going with my husband to learn the ropes."

"What?" James burst out. "How can I-the goblet, the contract…"

"You can stay a total of one month apart from Lily. You'd be following the contract."

"Are you doing this so I only have one week left, thus I won't be able to stay apart from her after this?" James asked curiously.

"Why would you think that?" Julie asked innocently and with a flick sent her suitcase floating out probably to her room. "Now, let's decrease that one month time to two weeks per place. OH! Another idea how about we go to one place this month and then when you get back we go to another place? So we're going to the beach first?"

"Wait." James said and looked at Lily, tamping down at the annoyance he felt towards his sister. Honestly, she had no place tagging along with them for their summer fun. "Your birthday is around the beginning of August. Would you rather spend it at the mountains or the beach?"

Lily shrugged. "I don't care." She replied.

"How about the mountains?" Andrea suggested,. "I suppose we'll have had enough of the sun by July and will want to go somewhere to cool off."

Lily agreed and looked at James, pleased that he was actually thinking about her.

"Oh and don't forget James we're going shopping with Lily's parents at the end of the week. We can do some shopping for our beach trip then."

"Perfect." Cassidy suddenly. "Next weeks my...our birthday…" Cassidy shot a look at Sirius and turned to look at everyone else. "I want to go home for my birthday to meet my parents." Cassidy shot Sirius a look. "You should co-"

"No." said Sirius shortly. Everyone was quiet. They knew that Sirius and Cassidy were the 'white sheep' of the Black family. Their family hated both of them and Sirius rarely ever went home now. Actually, he had already been kicked out by their parents. Cassidy on the other hand tried her best to keep in contact with her parents and would make it a point to go home and visit them. Not because she thought they were wonderful. The only reason she was determined to keep good ties with them was because they were her parents. They had given birth to her and no matter what; Cassidy would not sever her ties with them completely if only for the reason that they were her biological parents.

"I don't know why you go there." Sirius said harshly. "You know they are only looking for an excuse to blast you off that damn family tree."

Cassidy sighed heavily. "I know." She looked at Sirius with a watery smile. "You're their eldest son. You know the reason they actually left even a trace of you on that tapestry (she was referring to the mark on it from when they blasted his name off) is because they have hopes that you might come back one day." Cassidy sighed. "When they blast my name off that thing they won't even leave a trace. I'll be totally forgotten."

"Don't say that." Sirius said harshly. "No one is going to forget you Cass. You won't be blasted of that thing unless you provoke them."

Cassidy reached out a hand and allowed it to grasp onto her boyfriends hand. She looked at Remus lovingly. "They'll blast me off all right once they…find out about Remus and me but if I have to choose, I would choose Remus over them any day." She reached up and kissed his cheek. "That's why I want to go home for our birthday. I don't know how long it is until they blast me off that damn thing. I want to have some good memories about the home I grew up in."

"Women." Sirius muttered. "Why do you have to be so bloody sentimental?" He shook his head. "Honestly, that home was more like a torture chamber than a home. Uncle Alphard left me a huge amount of money in his will. Remember that you can always move into the flat I'm going to buy for myself if you ever need to. You do know that the home we grew up in is no home at all. I don't know why you insist on treating it like one."

Cassidy gave Sirius a watery smile. "I know." She said simply. "But it's the only home I've ever known…." Cassidy trailed off and cast a smile towards Remus before turning to look at everyone else. "Anyway, what's this about going shopping with Lily's parents? Who all is going?"

"You're all invited." Lily said looking at her friends. "We'll all go shopping together."

The boys looked at the ground.

"We don't…we don't…"Sirius mumbled, not sure how to say this exactly.

"We won't go shopping." James cut in briskly. The look Julie gave him was enough to kill. "We….what…." he looked at Julie accusingly. "I have been shopping with you once before and it's awful. You took me that one time when I was 13…I swore never to go again. All you girls do is go through each and every item in the whole bloody store because you don't want to miss getting something 'cute'. You end up grabbing a ton of clothes to try on, you actually try each and every item of clothing on that you added to your already huge pile of clothes and then in the end find some sort of nonexistent fault in each one and not buy it. Then you move along to the next store and do the whole thing all over again. Waste of time. I for one do not go shopping with females." James ended with his chest puffed out trying to be all macho.

Natalie poked him in the stomach and James let out a small 'Ow' and slumped over in his chair.

"But the family-" Julie finally began.

"It's all right." Lily cut in with a relieved sigh. She looked at James. She didn't want him tagging along the whole time being miserable while her mother tried to convince both of them to stay together.

"How about you meet us for lunch?" Julie said desperately.

"Fine." He mumbled.

OoooOOOOOO

Later on that night, everyone was sitting around when Rosalyn also decided she had important matters that needed attending to.

"-so-" she ended. "-I'll come back by the end of next week and join you guys when it's time to go to the beach. I might as well get my work out of the way. I need to go apply for a job and um-" she suddenly cast an uneasy glance around the room. "-I applied for a job at the Ministry but I might go for another one. I heard about something more interesting and I want to see if I can get that job."

"Hey if it's something you won't get bored of then go for it." James said from his spot, where he was lounging on an arm chair.

Lily nodded her agreement before going back to her book, which she sat on the floor next to the fireplace reading.

James suddenly threw a crumpled up bit of parchment at her head.

"Hey!" Lily exclaimed turning to glare at him.

"School's over, why are you still sitting around reading books?" James asked rolling his eyes. He then threw another bit of parchment at her head. It landed on Lily's forehead and everyone laughed.

"James Potter!" Lily shouted angrily. "If you try that one more time-"

There was a small crinkling sound as another bit of scrunched up parchment hit Lily squarely between her eyes. "That's it!" Lily exclaimed. She slammed her book shut as James chuckled and threw another parchment at her. This time it hit her shoulder. Lily cast a cursory glance at Remus. He was already 17. Complying, Remus used his wand to lift up all the balls James had thrown at Lily and suddenly James found himself bombarded by those very scrunched up balls of parchment. Lily then looked at Sirius (pretending she wasn't hearing James outraged yells to stop) and winked. Sirius was suddenly by her side, taking a stack of parchments that had been lying on top of the mantle above the fireplace. Both began to scrunch parchment into balls and throw them at James.

"Hey, not fair! You can't enlist the help of allies!" James exclaimed, his hands in front of his face trying to protect himself from the parchment balls.

"I already did," Lily said sweetly as she approached James and made to poke him in the ribs while Sirius threw more scrunched up parchment at him. James suddenly grabbed her hands, threading his fingers through hers. He tried to push her hands away, scratch that, he was succeeding at it since he was stronger than her. Unfortunately for him, Lily got an idea. She suddenly sat on his stomach making the breath go out of him.

"Evans." He rasped out as she let herself fall onto his stomach, resting her legs on either side of him, allowing them to bend so her calves were supporting some of her weight. In that moment she overpowered him and put his hands back against the armchair.

"It's Potter now." Lily said teasingly, realizing that the bombardment of scrunched up parchment had suddenly ceased. James felt the pit of his stomach suddenly drop. It WAS Potter now.

There was a flash and both turned to see Andrea holding a camera. She was laughing.

"Do you know how compromising your positions look?" Andrea asked with a laugh. Lily suddenly turned bright red. She could only imagine. Here she was sitting on top of James in an armchair, both holding hands, their fingers threaded through the spaces in each others hands. Lily looked at James flustered upon further realizing that she had pinned his hands parallel to his ears against the arm chair.

"It looks like you're trying to have your way with James!" said Cassidy and suddenly burst out laughing.

"You could always ask." James suddenly said with a wink. "No need to get aggressive sweetheart."

Mortified Lily climbed off of him and turned her back to him.

"Look at her! She's blushing!" Peter said gleefully.

"Shut up all of you!" Lily snapped trying to get her blush under control.

James suddenly came up behind and said teasingly into her ear.

"You look cute when you're embarrassed….Red."

He used to call her that before he and Rosalyn….shaking her head Lily sharply turned around to reprimand him but he was already back and sitting in his chair.

"You want to join me again?" he teased with a twinkle in his eye as everyone's laughter started afresh.

"Hardly." Lily said sardonically through everyone's laughter before sitting back down on the floor to read her book. "I hope you've learned your lesson." Lily said loftily while turning a page in her book. Another scrunched up ball of parchment hit Lily behind the head.

"Potter!" Lily yelled as everyone burst out laughing again. She turned to see that James had already made a run for it and was no longer in the room.

OoOoOOoOooOooOo

Rosalyn sat in her room at James' house the next morning, looking at her hands. She had tossed and turned in her bed all night after witnessing the interaction between Lily and James. The way Lily and James acted around each other, one could practically feel the attraction between them. They flirted with each other and joked with each other and laughed with each other and…Rosalyn wiped away her tears.

It wasn't fair. Why did the one boy she actually fall for not love her back? Why? Why was he so infatuated with Lily?!

Rosalyn took in a shaky breath and stood up. She needed to talk to Lily. She didn't know why but the urge to talk to Lily was overwhelming. Lily would always comfort her, tell her she didn't like James (Oh but the way she had acted with James last night contradicted that very statement).

Why did she repeat to Rosalyn that she felt nothing for James when it was so clear that she did? Or was Rosalyn just misunderstanding everything? Lily and James had known each other for awhile; maybe this was a normal occurrence between the two. Rosalyn just didn't know because she was never around them 24/7.

Feeling a little better Rosalyn decided it would be wise to go and at least talk to Lily. Lily was so good at chasing away any insecurity that Rosalyn had.

Rosalyn had to wince when she walked down the hall to Lily's room-it was right across from James room. Rosalyn knocked on Lily's room but there was no reply. Rosalyn knocked again and waited a few minutes before cracking the door open a bit and peeking inside. It was a pretty room.

The theme for her room was forest green, with velvet bottle green curtains, a four poster canopy bed with forest green hangings and a forest green duvet. The carpet was a dark woody brown color and when Rosalyn stepped inside she could practically feel her feet sinking into the luxurious carpet. This was a room clearly for a Mrs. James Potter. It was so luxurious and Rosalyn felt a small twinge. All this was supposed to be hers. If it hadn't been for that stupid Goblet, she would have been in this room right now or preferably in James room. They had talked of getting married. They had talked of moving in together. They had…

Rosalyn's eyes suddenly landed on an open box on Lily's dresser. It was open and she noticed a shining object lying on top of a pile of papers. Walking closer, Rosalyn saw that it was a bracelet made of round spheres and Rosalyn suddenly gasped upon realizing it was one of the Potter heirlooms given to the bride of the eldest son. Everyone in the wizarding world knew about it by now and so many girls wished it would be given to them one day. Witch Weekly had just recently printed an article about it and mused over whether James Potter would give it to the girl he had just been forced into marrying. Many people, however, were holding out for an annulment between the two. He was, after all, quite a catch and every girl wanted him for themselves. Hell, every mother wanted him for their daughters! The press was dying to get a chance to interview James about this turn of events but James was currently refusing to give interviews. Thus, the press right now had nothing better to do than print articles about the property Lily acquired or the Potter heirloom that had always been seen worn by the late Mrs. Potter. They had even tried to get Rosalyn to give an interview but Rosalyn had refused. She knew the press would make a farce out of her feelings.

Rosalyn's eyes suddenly strayed to the papers beneath the bracelet and one name stood out at her-Jeremy.

Rosalyn reached out and took a few letters from the box and started to read. Ten minutes later she marched into James room without even knocking.

He was in nothing but a towel.

"Rosalyn!" James gasped out staring at her incredulously. "Ever heard of knocking?" he asked annoyed as he reached for a robe to pull over himself.

"It's nothing I haven't seen." Rosalyn managed to snap out and James nearly choked on his sentence of what she was doing in his room.

"You love Lily." Rosalyn stated, staring at James evenly.

James nodded and met Rosalyn's gaze.

"She loves someone else." Rosalyn said in a steely voice.

"Wh-what?" James managed to stutter out and his eyes widened. No, no…it couldn't be. If she did he would know. He would be the first to know, the first she told….wouldn't he? She couldn't, she just…James refused to believe it and he told Rosalyn so.

Rosalyn stuck a handful of papers out in front of James.

"Dear love, I miss you so much. I can't wait until we finally meet…" Rosalyn dictated starting at James as he grabbed the papers from her. "Dear Sweetheart, I told you not to study too hard for that Transfiguration test. You overwork yourself too much…" Rosalyn stared at James expectantly. "Obviously the man is as infatuated with her as she is with him. He has a different pet name for her every time he writes to her."

Rosalyn watched and tried to study James expression as he read one of the letters. His expression was unreadable because Rosalyn was unwilling to believe that his face had suddenly softened upon seeing those letters.

"Where did you find these?" James asked softly.

"I went into Lily's room to talk to her and they were right there." Rosalyn hedged. She didn't want to tell him she had been looking through Lily's stuff. "It was hard not to miss them, lying out in the open…" Rosalyn trailed off. "Well-" she continued. "-the fact of the matter is that she doesn't love you James. She obviously loves this Jeremy person. I think you should call her in and confront her." Rosalyn added, because once Lily told James that she loved this Jeremy person Rosalyn would pick up the pieces of James broken heart and he would finally be hers again.

"Lily!" James called. Rosalyn turned to see Lily turning the door knob to her room to enter.

Lily turned to look at James and smiled. She had for some reason curled her hair today and it went up to her shoulder blades in tight curls.

"I didn't hear you enter your room last night." James suddenly said as if he had just thought of it. "Where were you? Did you sleep all right?"

Rosalyn had expected James to demand of Lily to spill who Jeremy was. Why was he inquiring after how comfortably she had slept?

Lily nodded. "I was in Andrea's room with Cassidy and Natalie. We all squished into her room last night."

It suddenly hit Rosalyn how much of the odd one out she was among everyone here.

"Some sort of mini slumber party?" James asked teasingly.

"You could say that." Lily countered and before James could open his mouth she added "And, no we won't invite the boys next time."

James let out a small chuckle before motioning her over towards him and inside his room.

"What's up?" Lily queried.

James suddenly held up a stack of papers. "I think these belong to you."

Lily reached for them and upon looking at them she looked at James with a somewhat ravaged expression. Her eyes wide with a look of painful nostalgia in them, James felt nothing but sudden guilt. He looked away for a moment before looking back at her. James could sense some sort of rising urgency and anger inside of her.

"Where did you find these?" she asked in a strained voice.

James glanced at Rosalyn. "I also think Lyn here owes you an apology for going through your stuff because I know for a fact that you would never leave those letters just lying around."

Lily looked at Rosalyn sharply.

"You went through my stuff?!" Lily asked incredulously.

"I-I-" Rosalyn stuttered and then looked at James who was doing nothing to help her. What had just happened? He was supposed to be heartbroken and angry or at least jealous. He was supposed to confront Lily about this Jeremy person. Instead he was…he was…

"You're having an affair!" Rosalyn suddenly exclaimed. "Why are you keeping it a secret? Why didn't you tell James that you are in love with this Je-"

Her frantic voice was cut off by Lily's bitter laugh.

"Yes James." Lily said turning to James with an ironic smile."I've been having an affair with a boy called Jeremy. We've been writing to each other ever since fourth year and I am madly in love with him. I guess I'm not a very faithful wife am I?"

James let out a small chuckle. She was angry but for once she wasn't angry at him.

"Yes my dear, oh the shame. My wife has been cheating on me. I'm so heartbroken Lily." He said with a dramatic sigh and put his hand over his chest. "To think you prefer this Jeremy bloke to James Potter."

Rosalyn looked at the two as if they had gone mad.

"See I knew it! She was having an affair! She was trying to hide it from everyone!" Rosalyn exclaimed triumphantly, hoping that James would realize this was no joke.

Lily suddenly turned on Rosalyn with fire in her eyes.

"My affairs are no concern of yours Rosalyn and this 'relationship' I had was no secret. Everyone knew about it, especially James." Lily ended and cast a glance towards James who merely stood back with crossed arms. He was not going to enter into this. Lily knew how to handle herself and Rosalyn should never have gone through Lily's things.

"So, so James knows?" Rosalyn was able to whisper quietly.

Lily nodded angrily. "He knows better than anybody else." She ended heatedly and paused for a minute (most likely trying to push away the sadness that was entering her system) before continuing.

"What gives you the right to look through my stuff?" Lily demanded. "I left these in my box, where I keep all of his other letters. How could you go into my room and-" Lily stopped short and took in a ragged breath. In an instant, James was by her side. He put a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"These-" Lily whispered weakly as she held up the letters in her hand. She looked up at James. "-these are supposed to be private." Lily was able to get out brokenly. "I've never let anyone read them, James. ANYONE. Sure, I would let Andrea and Cass read some but not…never…I mean I think the only ones I ever let them read were the ones that didn't constitute as love letters. These-these are love letters. They're like a part of my soul. I have never let anyone read them and today SHE read them." Lily let out a ragged sigh. "I feel like I've been raped in some sick and twisted way. These letters were between us…they were private….our own private world…"

James hand was suddenly running up and down Lily's back in an assuring fashion.

"I understand." He whispered comfortingly. He leveled a look right at Rosalyn while Lily finally asked her.

"Why did you want to come into my room anyway? Why did you come into my room without me in there? Why did you go into my room and look through my stuff?!" Lily was yelling by now and James soothingly told her to calm down.

"I wanted to talk to you. "Rosalyn said quietly. "You're the only friend I have out of everyone here. You're the only support I have. I'm really sorry Lily." Rosalyn said in a small voice before turning and leaving.

Lily sighed as she watched Rosalyn walk away.

"I should go after her." Lily murmured and left James side to go and talk to Rosalyn.

James stared after her and said to himself grudgingly "She never forgives me that easily when we fight."

James sighed regretfully. Then again he deserved every bit of her anger. He rubbed his eyes tiredly before turning around to actually get some clothes on.

What he wouldn't give to go back to those days when they still had their own private, untouched, intact world.

A/N: so that was that. Lol…plz don't think Rosalyn is a really bad person or something. She's not evil, be a bitch and try to make lily feel like dirt evil. She is just a normal girl after all and not perfect. The guy she loves dumped her and loves someone else. Also..rosalyn has never been rejected by anyone before. She doesn't know how to handle rejection. Good people in this world can also do bad things….no one is perfect or a goody goody two shoes. Everyone has their faults so don't start thinking that Rosalyn is an evil bitch.

Also…I might be going somewhere next week….so I might update Thursday night (may 20th) or Friday morning (may 21st)…or I may just update the week after next. Not really sure how I want to go about it right now. But plzzz review pple!! More reviews eventually end up making me feel guilty and I update within one week anyway lol.

Also…in ur reviews…plzzz tell me if certain parts in this story annoy u. Like are there any aspects of this story that make u want to turn away and just quit reading? Im trying to improve my writing and make sure I don't repeat those mistakes…so do let me know. And which parts do u like? Ill try my best to incorporate more of those things into my story. Also…never hesitate to tell me if u want to read abt something happening in this story!!


	29. Chapter 29:Interviews,Malls and Pictures

During the coming week, everyone went off to complete their own chores. Sirius left to look for a flat, Cassidy left for her birthday and Rosalyn left to apply for a new job. James, Peter and Remus spent the week playing Quidditch, mostly which was a rather hair raising experience as Peter _still _could not ride a broom properly. Julie's husband Michael also dropped by, and Lily found him to be very good company. He was a remarkable raconteur and could entertain anyone for hours with humorous anecdotes of his travels abroad. Lily found herself in stitches as he told her about his encounter with a senile sphinx on one of his visits to Egypt. She laughed until tears streamed down her cheeks when he told her about the 75 year old Russian Minister for Culture who kicked a drunken leprechaun after he tried to hit on her.

At 6 ft 2 Michael was a very imposing man, with a tan complexion and dark brown wavy hair. Not that Julie was ugly, but she was petite, plump with nothing very out of the ordinary about her looks. She was attractive at most and Lily couldn't help but find their pairing comical. Julie was the shortest out of all of them and even when she stood on tiptoe, she barely reached her husbands chin. Though no one could miss that the couple loved each other very much. Lily got along very well with the two and managed to stifle her giggles whenever she saw Michael leaning down so he could hear what his wife was whispering.

She would spend hours on end sitting with Julie and her husband talking about different things. James couldn't help but feel a little disgruntled. He thought it was unfair that his sister was hogging Lily.

Sometime, during this uneventful quiet week Julie arranged for a press interview.

"You two just have to be honest." Julie coaxed a few hours before the interview was to take place. "You are very good friends and accidents happen. We don't need any scandals going on. We're going to be very open about how Lily is a very good friend of yours and that you two are treating this as some sort of fun experience. We don't need the press turning this into some sick and twisted torrid affair."

Lily nodded dutifully as James expelled a sigh beside her-he hated the press,

"Just as long as _she's _not there-what's her name? _That_, that woman who…"

"Oh! Rita? Of course she won't be here." said Julie with a self-satisfied smirk. "I wouldn't let her inside the house after she wrote those articles. Bet she feels sorry for that now. After all, this is _quite_ a story."

"Who's Rita? And what did she write?" asked Lily curiously.

"Rita Skeeter. Daily Prophet reporter. Deranged, that woman is" muttered a disgruntled James.

"She wrote an article about how James doesn't really exist. Said that James Potter was actually a figment of the Potters' imagination and they were leading the world to believe that he actually existed to prove that they had a male heir. Was a pretty convincing article too. Unfortunately, however, James Potter _did_ exist and was enrolled at Hogwarts, so she was proved wrong. " explained Julie.

James let out a snort of derision. "She wrote that when she was 17 and fresh out of Hogwarts."

Julie continued, "Then after a year or two, she wrote another article about how I killed James to take over the family fortune. Unfortunately, once again, she was proved wrong."

"Do you have to put in the word "unfortunately" every time you mention me?" asked James. "Honestly, the stuff that woman comes up with…"

"Did you hear something, Julie?" asked Lily innocently, "I thought I heard a voice."

"I thought I did too, Lily." Julie shrugged, "Must be a figment of our imagination"

"I AM NOT A FIGMENT OF YOUR IMAGINATIONS!" yelled James.

"Shut up James" said Julie, "You don't exist."

James growled "You two are trying my patience."

Both girls laughed and shared conspiring smiles.

The next thing Lily knew was that Julie was dragging her along to get her hair done at some salon.

A few hours later, Lily arrived at the Potter mansion with Julie. Her hair had been put into loose curls and a hint of light makeup had been applied to her face along with some peach blush and pink lipstick.

"You look so pretty." gushed Julie. "Twirl around so I can see your new robe from the back."

Lily did so and suddenly heard a squeal from her far left. It was Andrea.

"Lily that color suits you so much!" Andrea marveled.

Lily was wearing light yellow, long robes that brought out the gold highlights in her hair. They were half sleeved with an off the shoulder neck.

"Put your bracelet on." Julie suddenly said. "You are the wife of the eldest Potter, after all. Let no one say we didn't follow tradition as best we could, considering the circumstances. "

Lily rushed into her room and opened the box in which she kept the bracelet. A knock at her door made her pause while opening her box.

"Come in!" Lily called before taking her bracelet out. She turned to see James staring at her with wide eyes.

"You look beautiful." He murmured, taking in her appearance from head to toe.

"Thanks." Lily replied quietly, looking at the ground briefly (for some reason his intense gaze made her blush) before looking back up at James. "Did you want anything?"

James didn't reply as his eyes strayed to the bracelet clutched in Lily's hand.

"Let me." He said gruffly, walking over and taking the bracelet from her. He opened the clasp and arranged the bracelet over Lily's left wrist. Even doing something as minor as this made James ponder over the huge barriers that separated them. He didn't just want to clasp jewelry onto her wrists, he wanted to hold her,to hug her, to tell her exactly how much he loved her.

James suddenly heard a commotion downstairs. The reporters must have arrived.

"Ready?" Lily asked hesitantly as James secured the bracelet around her wrist.

James nodded, offered her his arm (even though what he really wanted to do was kiss her) and walked down the steps with her deciding that it would serve as a good picture-Lily and him walking down the stairs together.

He still didn't know what had compelled him to knock on her door and enter her room. The door to his room had been open and she'd been in such a hurry to enter her room….he hadn't gotten a good glimpse of her. He had wanted to just look at her. The feeling of wanting to look at her had just been so overwhelming….

'What I feel for her now is so different. With Liz I had never felt the strong urge to kiss, hug or even hold her. Now I just want to keep her with me and never let her go, never let her have any other life than a life that involves me. Is this, what love really is?' James asked himself as cameras began to go off and a white flash of light was in front of his eyes constantly while he walked down the steps with Lily.

It hurt so much to see Lily beside him and yet she wasn't his. He wanted her, wanted to be able to call her his and only his but he couldn't….

Lily suddenly stumbled; James suddenly wrapped his arms around her waist to keep her from falling. The flashes of light intensified times ten as photographers tried to get as many pictures of the couple like that as possible-James arms wrapped around her waist with Lily's hands clutching the part of his arms coming over her stomach, as leverage. Maybe there was some sort of romantic relationship between the two.

Once Lily and James had finally reached the bottom of the staircase and entered the formal lounge, reserved for high profile guests, the interviewers (there were about 5 of them) began asking questions.

"How does it feel to be married at 17? And forced into it no doubt?"

"It feels pretty weird." James confessed, seated beside Lily on a cream colored couch. "But it's only a contract marriage. It's nothing life altering. Lily and I have been very good friends for awhile now. We are both treating this as an interesting experience."

"So an annulment is to be expected?"

James hesitated and Lily rushed in. "Most definitely. James and I are too young to be married. I, myself am underage."

"There are no romantic feelings being harbored by either of you for the other?"

"No!" both exclaimed fervently.

Julie winced, way to make it obvious.

"Mr. Potter, the day you had to marry your wife, you also still had a girlfriend. What was her reaction? Do you intend to keep on seeing her even after your contract marriage?"

No one had really expected this question to be asked and Lily tensed. James however breezed through it easily.

"Her reaction?" James asked humorously. "Well she wasn't very happy about it I can tell you that." There was a murmur of laughter and James went on. "Even though our marriage is only a contract marriage, it is still binding. The Goblet of Ice is ancient magic that cannot be defied. I do not think the Goblet of Ice intended for me to carry on an affair while still married. Rosalyn and I are not together any longer even though we are still on the best of terms. No ill feelings are held on either side."

"What about you Mrs. Potter? Did you have a boyfriend or anyone you liked?"

Lily giggled. "Goodness no. I had just recently gone through a very disturbing breakup. I had no wish to get back into another relationship."

More cameras suddenly started going off.

"So you two are just friends? Nothing more?"

"No chances of you two staying together?"

"Never felt any sort of attraction towards each other?"

"Neither of you seeing someone else?"

Lily could sense the disappointment in their voices. Of course, they had wanted to write something more interesting than two friends who were on the very best of terms being forced to live together.

James and Lily merely laughed at the preposterous questions posed by the interviewers and adamantly continued with their statements of just being friends, not seeing anyone else and going as far as to say that they preferred it this way as they got a chance to spend more time with each other and were going to live their lives as normally as they could.

Just when Lily thought that the reporters had labeled them as 'boring' and unworthy of more than half a page worth of a magazine, she did the one thing to set off another round of questions. Raising her left hand she used it to swish her hair behind her shoulder. The bracelet on her left wrist was not missed by a single person in the room.

Cameras went off and Lily was temporarily blinded by white light as the questions began anew.

"How long have you had this bracelet?"

"When did Mr. Potter give this to you?"

"Did Mr. Potter give this to you?"

"Well uh…I…uh-" Lily stuttered. She couldn't tell them the truth. Their private lives would be all over Witch Weekly if she did.

"I gave it to her!" Julie suddenly called out.

Lily nodded. "Yes, Julie gave it to me."

"Why did she give this to you?"

"She said we might as well try and follow tradition as best we can considering the circumstances." Lily said quietly, not looking up from her hands. It didn't feel right lying about the bracelet. To Lily it was a symbol of love, not something to feel ashamed of and lie about.

It seemed that the reporters were getting bored again. Then the one question came that no one had anticipated.

"After the annulment, Mr. Potter, do you intend to take it back and give it to the woman who finally becomes your wife? It is a family heirloom after all and a very important one."

There was silence for a minute before James let out a bark of laughter.

"That would be rather ungentlemanly of me to do." He finally ended.

"I'd give it back to him myself." Lily rushed in finally. "I know he would never take it back but I would insist he keep it for his future wife."

James wasn't sure if Lily was serious or just saying that. It hurt, however to think of her returning that bracelet to him. Truth be told, he couldn't ever see it around anyone's wrist but hers.

Finally the interviewers had had enough. There was no scandal…no torrid affair...not even the hint of a pregnancy and the whole Goblet of Ice story being a cover-up story for the quick wedding. It was all nice, clean and utterly mundane.

Lily sighed in relief as the interviewers left and she leaned back against the sofa.

"Would you really give it back to me?" James asked quietly from beside her after a moment's pause.

Lily shrugged. "If you wanted it back to give to the person you loved James…I would give it back." She whispered before getting up and leaving.

'But the only person I love is you' James thought as he watched her leave.

OoOoOoooO

"Going to the beach?!" Marian Evans asked her daughter enthusiastically as Lily, Julie, Andrea and Natalie nodded happily. "Why, we absolutely must get you girls new bathing suits!!"

Julie snickered as she watched her husband and Neil Evans groan under the weight of five huge shopping bags.

"It's already time for lunch." Neil said impatiently. "James will be arriving at the food court any moment now."

Mrs. Evans suddenly clutched Lily's hand and staggered back onto a bench located outside of a shop in the mall.

"Mum!" Lily exclaimed urgently. "Are you o.k.?"

Marian smiled faintly. "I'm fine dear. You know I get these spells when shopping for a long time."

"You need some sugar inside your system." Lily stated pleadingly. "Let's forget the bathing suits. You already bought me enough clothes mum. Come on, we should get down to the food court and get you something to eat."

Marian shook her head adamantly and stood up. "I'm fine dear. All we have is one more shop to go. I think I will be fine."

"But-" Neil began worriedly.

Julie cut him off. "How about the men go on down to the food court and we'll be along soon." She supplied.

"I'll be able to get rid of these bags." Neil said in relief and again gazed at his wife with concern. "I'll go down and get you something from the food court and bring it back up."

"Water will do." Marian said with a bright smile before ushering the girls along towards a shop she knew off that sold 'cute' bathing suits. She told her husband the location of the store over her shoulder, showing how much of a rush she was in, in getting the girls to the store so they could shop for bathing suits. "Don't forget my water!" she called happily before turning to face the direction she was walking in.

"What she needs is sugar in her system." Neil muttered worriedly. "She already has a low blood pressure. Never takes care of herself." He mumbled before walking down towards the food court with Julie's husband.

Meanwhile, the females had reached the store and Lily's mum instantly began looking through bathing suits taking the ones she deemed as 'cute', 'gorgeous', and 'stunning' and handing them to Lily.

"Mum, sit down." Lily said tentatively. "You should sit and rest. You've been at this for hours. Go sit down over there. They have chairs outside the dressing room."

"I'm fine Lily. You know I have those dizzy spells sometimes."

"Usually when you do it means your sugar level is low. Go sit." Lily said more firmly.

Marian sighed in defeat and conceded to her daughter's request.

After browsing around some more, Lily found a very cute bottle green tankini with black trimming on it. It was a halter top and the bottom was black. Lily, deciding that she really liked this one, made her way towards where her mother was sitting.

"How about some pretty lingerie?" her mother suggested once Lily reached her and started to walk towards the changing rooms. "Never miss the chance to impress your husband dear."

Lily suddenly blushed bright red. "Mum. He's not...we're…..and….there is no chance...I'm …uh well…..YOU KNOW!" Lily ended exasperatedly. "I showed you the contract." She ended with finality.

"Ahh but it's only valid until you turn 17 and become of age." Marian said with a wink. "After that I expect a grandchild."

"Mum!" Lily exclaimed, feeling her face heat up. "I told you we're getting an annulment at the end of one year!"

"Yes, yes I've heard that word from your mouth numerous times already" Marian said non-caringly. She handed Lily a very skimpy emerald green bikini.

"I think this will look lovely on you. The sales associate was taking it out of the changing room and I asked her for it." Marian said happily. She knew Lily would never wear something like this but desperate times called for desperate measures. She would force Lily to buy it if she had to for if her son-in-law held the same views about his marriage as Lily did then Marian had to work quickly.

OOooOoOOo

"Am I early?" James inquired upon seeing Neil Evans and his brother-in-law Michael sitting at the designated Muggle food court.

Neil shook his head as he stood up after pouring a cup of water from a pitcher.

"The ladies are late." He said tiredly and motioned to a table near them that was piled high with bags. "They've been shopping for forever and Marian is so stubborn." He sighed. "She's feeling lightheaded and needs some water." He suddenly grabbed a chocolate bar lying next to the pitcher of water. "I think her sugar level is low considering she's been walking around this damn mall for the past four hours."

"I'll take the water and chocolate to her." James suddenly offered, holding his hands out. "Which store are they in?"

"One floor below us, the fifth store on the left when you get off the lift." Neil Evans said sitting down heavily after handing James his burden. "Thanks James. You have no idea how tired the two if us-" he motioned to Michael and then himself. "-are." He shook his head. "Honestly they have to go through every single item in every single store and then they don't even end up buying half the stuff they pickup!"

James chuckled before walking towards the lift. Mr. Evans words reminded him of the speech he had given to Julie about girls and shopping. It seemed like all men had the same views.

He'd been to a similar muggle mall with his sister once and knowing how to use a lift, he arrived one floor below the food court only to see with mounting dread that the store Neil Evans had referred to was a female clothing store advertising bathing suits on their mannequins.

Uneasily, he entered to see Natalie looking at a beige one piece bathing suit and Andrea holding up a rather skimpy two piece.

"Uh..." James began turning red as both saw him.

Andrea smirked as she put the two-piece aside, eyed the water and candy in his hand and pointed towards the fitting rooms. Outside of it were a few chairs.

"She should be sitting over there." Andrea said.

"Mrs. Evans?" James ventured upon arriving at the chairs and seeing them empty.

A voice suddenly squealed excitedly.

"Dear, I'm right here." She waved a hand from the fitting room hallway motioning him over. She took the water and chocolate from James with a small smile and said in an undertone. "Thank you."

James opened his mouth to speak but Mrs. Evans put a hand over his mouth as a shriek emitted from one of the stalls.

"Mum!" Lily exclaimed from her stall.

"Yes, Dear?" Mrs. Evans asked removing her hand from James mouth and taking a sip of water. She handed him her candy bar so both her hands could hold her cup.

"L-L-just LOOK AT THIS! How can you expect me to-" the door came crashing open with Lily standing in the door way.

James mouth ran dry. In a split second he registered what she was wearing and it bordered on NOTHING.

Lily wore a two piece bikini bathing suit that was dark, emerald green. The top couldn't even be called a bra and it was strappy with two thin black straps going over her shoulders and a lot of cleavage showing, in fact ALL her cleavage was showing. Her hair flowed down all the way past her hips and Lily suddenly angrily motioned towards the sides of the bottom part of her bikini where it was held up by strings that had to be tied around the waist.

"I can't wear this!" Lily exclaimed, motioning towards where she had to tie a pair of strings together to keep the bottom up. She then turned pulling her hair over her shoulder, baring her back and James dropped his candy bar.

"There isn't even a back!" Lily exclaimed trying to show her mother that the back also constituted of just a string tied beneath her shoulder blades.

"You're drooling, Dear." Marian Evans whispered to James.

Flustered beyond belief, James suddenly turned his back to the sight and clenched his eyes shut. Dear GOD who knew Lily had THAT underneath her robes? And the top…he snapped his eyes open; her robe never even hinted that she had…had THAT underneath her robes. James clenched his fists together wondering why him. The last thing he needed right now was to be lusting after Lily.

Lily suddenly gasped and James realized she'd seen him. A slam told James that she had slammed the door of her stall shut. All James could think about was that her skin had looked so smooth and so silky, he wanted to graze his hands across…NO NO NO he could NOT think like this!!

"I think you should buy it." Marian Evans said to Lily. The satisfied tone of Marian Evans voice was lost by the two teenagers who were still disconcerted by what had just happened.

"I dunno." Lily was able to mumble, being so flustered that James had seen her wearing that THING.

Suddenly, James mind rebelled against her wearing that sorry excuse for a bathing suit. If she wore it then OTHER guys would see her in that and think the same way about her…

"You're not buying it." James suddenly spoke up, his back still turned to her stall.

There was a pause and then "Excuse me?" came Lily's disbelieving voice.

"You're not buying it." James repeated patiently. "I won't let you."

"You won't let me?!" Lily shrieked as there was frantic shuffling. The door was suddenly flung open with Lily holding the offending bikini in her fist. "James Potter! You have no right!" she exclaimed.

James turned to look at her and was relieved that now she had normal clothes on.

"I don't mind you buying another bikini." He reasoned. "But that-that….those two pieces of cloth should not be allowed to constitute as a bikini. I won't have you prancing about the beach in THAT!"

Lily looked at him angrily and then she grabbed another bathing suit which was a halter top tankini. James didn't know it but it was the same one Lily had admired earlier.

"I approve of that." James said pointing to the tankini.

Lily marched over to the register and James followed her out relieved that she wasn't buying the bikini.

"I'll buy BOTH." Lily emphasized as she put the tankini and bikini in front of the sales clerk.

"WHAT?!" James exploded and suddenly came up to the register. "No you wont I told you-"

"I don't care what you told me." Lily said angrily as she got her wallet out of her purse. "It's not YOUR money James. I'm using MY money. The money my parents gave me. So stop being stingy."

"I'm not being stingy!" James yelled. "That bikini is entirely inappropriate for you to go prancing around in!!"

"Inappropriate?!" Lily roared. "You-you-CHAUVNISTIC PIG!! I've seen girls wear worse!! (She was lying through her teeth; she had never seen any girl wear a bikini as skimpy as that) Don't think you can boss me around! I'm buying it and that's that!" she turned to the sales clerk for the total amount she owed.

"64 pounds." He said in a bored voice as if people fought like this all the time in front of him.

Lily's hands went limp. She didn't have enough money to buy both. She was only buying the bikini because of what James said.

"Put the bikini back." James said to the sales clerk.

"NO!" Lily exclaimed and continued smoothly, "Put the tankini back. I'm buying the bikini."

"Dammit Lily!" James exclaimed hitting his fist against the table. "You're not buying that thing that can not even constitute as enough cloth to cover a baby!

"I'll buy whatever I want!!" Lily argued back as she reached out to push the tankini aside. James hand came over hers firmly and pulled it away.

With a snarl he took out 64 pounds and set it down in front of the sales clerk. He had changed some galleons for pounds on the way to the mall in case of an emergency and _this _definitely constituted as an emergency.

"I'd rather have you buy both than just that-that article of clothing that even Sirius would deem as inappropriate!" James spat angrily. He then leaned down and whispered, rather viciously in her ear. "The only person who will ever see you in THAT is me. I hope I've made myself clear."

The pit of Lily's stomach suddenly dropped at the implication he was making.

And with that he left leaving Lily to stare at him oddly.

"He's off his rocker." She said turning to stare at the sales clerk.

The sales clerk didn't reply and merely handed her, her shopping bag.

Lunch was interesting. James and Lily sulked. Julie and Marian were overjoyed after watching the two fight. Natalie and Michael were deep in conversation while Andrea had a one sided conversation with Lily about all the new clothes they bought.

James couldn't help but growl angrily as Andrea mentioned her own new bathing suit.

"Even she got a one piece." James grunted angrily at Lily.

Lily opened her mouth to reply viciously but her father cut her off.

"Stop acting like two angry children and make up." Neil snapped, stabbing his chicken with a fork.

"He/She started it!" hey both said in unison pointing at each other.

Michael snorted. "I present to you the heir to the Potter business."

Lily suddenly giggled.

"Imagine what the reporters would say if they could see us now!" she said with a laugh. James glanced at her and began laughing too. Both finally smiled at each other sheepishly before going back to their lunch.

OOOoOo

"_The only person who will ever see you in THAT is me."_

Lily couldn't help but remember those words as she lay awake in bed at night. What had he meant by that? Had he meant that he had seen her in it once and she wasn't going to wear it ever again so he was the only to see her in it? Or did he mean….

That phrase conveyed some sort of intimacy that Lily currently did not have with James. She tried to imagine ever being at a stage in her relationship with ANYONE where she could wear that bikini comfortably. Every time she tried to imagine such a point in any of her relationships, Lily felt a blush come onto her cheeks and a feeling of mortification in her stomach. Never would she be able to bring herself to wear that thing, even if the only person around would be her significant other. In fact, that would make it worse because she would be all too aware of his scrutiny.

She suddenly remembered how she had been too caught up in yelling at her mother to notice James standing in front of her, looking at her….while she wore …. her stomach did a small flip flop at the thought of James seeing her in it. He had turned his back though and Lily was extremely grateful for that.

However, it also denoted that he hadn't thought her attractive enough to look at. Would he have turned his back if it had been Rosalyn standing there before him? Lily couldn't help but recall that one time at the Christmas ball when James gaze had kept straying to Rosalyn's chest on purpose to tease her. For some reason she suddenly felt jealous. She shouldn't, Rosalyn had been his girlfriend, and Lily was just a friend. However, the mere fact that he had actually turned away from looking at her seemed to tell Lily that she was not very attractive to James. Either that or he had turned away because he felt guilty ogling at her. Which one was it?

A frustrated sigh escaped her lips as she sat up in bed, unable to sleep at all. She glanced over at her shopping bags, illuminated by the moonlight.

Lily got up and decided to get a cup of water.

She walked towards the kitchen to suddenly see a figure sitting at the table. As she walked closer she saw that it was James.

"Hey." Lily said quietly as she walked up to him and sat down across from.

James inclined his head towards her. Lily reached out for the pitcher of water next to his elbow and poured a glass of water for herself after choosing the handful of glasses that were set upside down on the table.

"I wasn't going to actually wear that bikini." Lily said quietly as she set the pitcher down and looked up at James. "I only bought it because you were being such a prick."

James smiled at her sheepishly. "I'm sorry for being such a prick." he admitted. "I shouldn't have flown off the handle like I did."

"Does that mean you won't object if wear it?" Lily teased.

"Absolutely not." James said promptly before taking a sip of his own water.

Lily giggled even though in the back of her mind a question of why he cared what she wore niggled her.

"So what brings you down here at this hour?" James asked lightly.

Lily looked at James soberly. "I couldn't sleep." She took in James' night robe and then looked back at him. She didn't need to ask him why he was still up-she already knew why. "Tomorrow's the day." She said quietly.

James nodded.

"The day my father died." James acknowledged. He then looked at Lily with a small, wry smile. "One would think I would be over this by now."

"You won't ever be." Lily admitted softly. "You'll just learn to deal with it. That's all."

James looked at his empty glass of water with an ironic smile. "I'll probably need something stronger than this tomorrow night." He murmured.

"Do you want me to….to sit up with you tomorrow night?" Lily ventured hesitantly. As Liz and Jeremy this had also been one of their rituals. On the night of James fathers' death, both would stay up chatting on wizard net until dawn came and chased away the nightmares that James had hidden in his heart.

James stared at her steadily and asked. "Do you want to?"

Lily stared at her hand resting on the table hesitantly before reaching across and holding onto James hand. "Yes." She whispered and James threaded his fingers through hers.

"Thank you." He replied quietly.

Lily squeezed his hand before loosening her hold. "You're welcome." She replied quietly and then she looked up at him solemnly. "I'll go with you to his grave James, if you don't have any objections."

He was suddenly up and sitting beside her, pulling her closer to him, tugging her hands to come around his waist, and then his hands traveling up her bare arms. Lily shivered.

"I want you to come with me." He whispered achingly into ear. "I want you very, very much." He whispered and Lily shivered, wondering if he meant another form of want altogether.

His hands came to rest on her shoulders and he rested his forehead against hers.

'What was happening?' Lily asked herself. She had to stop this, she had to…but he was so close to her and his lips were inches apart and he was looking at her with such warmth and…oh his arms felt so good around her body. Lily felt his hot breath graze her lips and she couldn't help but shiver. She didn't want this to end. It felt so good….he needed to kiss her now…finally….he was going to...

"Oh my goodness!" exclaimed a new voice.

Both pulled apart, startled and Lily saw a middle aged witch with messy black hair and hazel eyes. She looked so much like James, but her eyelashes were thicker, her face a little more oval and a more feminine touch surrounded hers. She was looking at both of them with a pink blush on her cheeks.

"I-I'm so sorry!" she exclaimed.

"It's all right… Mum." James ended forcefully, running one hand down Lily's bare arm before dropping it. Lily expelled a small breath….they had almost….almost…Lily shook her head as the woman spoke up.

"I didn't know anyone would be awake right now." She said feebly and Lily's heart went out to the woman. Not once had she seen this lady around the mansion. Everyday they would have food on the table and eat it. Did she eat alone?

"I'm Lily." Lily suddenly said rushing over to her to greet her.

"Oh so you're um…" she suddenly glanced at James hesitantly.

"I'm going to bed." James mumbled before going up to his room.

The lady sighed heavily before settling herself into a chair.

Lily felt her heart constrict. It wasn't just James father's death anniversary tomorrow; it was this poor lady's brother's death anniversary.

"Um Ms…" Lily trailed off.

"Call me Agnes, Dear." The lady said tiredly.

"I'm sorry about James." Lily whispered. "He's…well you know."

"I know." Agnes said quietly and there was pain in her eyes. "It's partially my fault. I've never been able to give him the love of a mother. I'm not his mother, and it showed. I tried…I honestly tried but there is a reason I never settled down. I-" her throat clogged up and she looked at the floor. "-I was more the one who would spoil him while his father would tell me not to. But I was his aunt. It's my right to spoil my only nephew. When…when my brother passed away and I adopted James…" Agnes sighed. "…I began to treat him more as I would a younger brother. I spoiled him but never once tucked him in at night. He...I should have taken him to parks and festivals but all I would do is go shopping and bring him back at most a trinket. Once he got lost in the woods at the back of this huge mansion for over a day and I didn't know. It was Julie who realized he was missing and went out to find him. He was found underneath a tree, asleep in the middle of the night," Agnes brought a hand to her forehead. "He was only 13 then. It made me realize that I was doing a very poor job of trying to be a parent but when I finally tried to coddle him he wouldn't accept it. He had gotten used to being ignored and now the attention he got was more frustrating than it was warming."

Lily looked at Agnes compassionately.

"I understand." She whispered.

Agnes wiped away a few tears from her eyes.

"It's late. You should be asleep." Agnes whispered.

"Can I give you some advice?"Lily asked softly and continued after a moments pause.

"Stop trying to be his Mother. Just be his aunt instead of sending him mixed signals. You force him to call you "Mum" and he resents it. He feels as if you're trying to take his parents' place. Don't try to take their place Agnes, create room in his heart for you. Don't try to usurp someone else's place."

Agnes sighed. "I-I always thought…"she trailed off and taking in this new point of view.

"I hope to see you at breakfast tomorrow." Lily said warmly. "You should come with me and James to the graveyard." She added quietly. After all, it was her brothers' grave that they were going to.

Lily turned to leave when Agnes suddenly spoke.

"You've never seen him, have you?" she asked softly.

"Pardon?" questioned Lily, confused.

"Henry, James' father." elaborated Agnes.

"Umm…no I haven't seen him." replied Lily, wondering why Agnes was asking her.

Agnes suddenly stood up and walked to the bookshelf, pulling out a thick green book. It looked like a well read book with frayed corners and dog ears.

She motioned Lily to sit next to her and opened it, almost reverently. It was a picture album. Agnes pointed to a picture and Lily felt her breath catch.

Henry Potter looked like the spitting image of his son. His hair was a little less messy but his eyes twinkled with life, just like James' did. He had one arm around Agnes' shoulders while James (a mere toddler) and Julie (a beautiful little girl with her long blonde hair in pigtails) sat in his lap. All of them seemed like a happy family, although there was the obvious absence of James' mother.

Lily ran her finger over the picture, absorbed in thought.

So this was Henry Potter. Even in the picture, as she looked at him smiling up at her while James and Julie poked each other playfully, she could tell why James had felt the way he had about his father. She watched as the man in the picture gave both children a smile that seemed to say 'What did we discuss earlier?' and both children suddenly sat still on their fathers lap and looked up at Lily with shy smiles. He had some sort of vibrant energy about him that exuded authority. Lily suddenly felt like crying. This was the father James had lost; this was the father-in-law she had lost. Life was so unfair. Why, why did James have to loose him? It didn't seem right that Lily had a mother and a father while James had neither. It seemed so wrong!

Agnes suddenly turned a page and Lily felt her breath catch. What she saw next in the album, was the most beautiful creature she had ever seen. The female smiling serenely up at her was a beautiful blonde-haired woman with lively blue eyes. She seemed weak and frail yet her eyes seemed to warn that she wasn't like that on the inside. Her chin was lifted up proudly as if she was a Queen and the way she held herself seemed to drive home that point.

"She's beautiful." Lily whispered. Not in the conventional way though. Lily decided that this woman's beauty came more from within than anything else. Her looks were attractive but the one thing that attracted a person to her would be more of the aura of confidence surrounding her-the conviction that this woman could do no wrong.

"That's James mother." Agnes whispered, trailing a hand over the picture sadly. "We didn't get along at first, I always saw her as the one who took my place in Henry's heart. I had always been the first one Henry would share anything with but after they met….I seemed to take a backseat in my brother's life. I felt excluded and resented her for it. Eventually though, we started to get along and became very good friends." Agnes sighed. "If she was alive right now, she would hate me."

Lily turned to Agnes, shaking her head earnestly. "She would thank you for trying your best Agnes." Lily whispered.

"My best wasn't good enough." Agnes ended brokenly.

Lily shook her head fervently. "Don't think that. Please don't think that. You raised James for a good part of his life. Whatever you did, you did it right. He's grown into an exceptional young man that any mother would be proud of."

"I could have done better!" Agnes protested.

"You could have also done worse." Lily replied firmly.

This quieted Agnes and Lily left the woman to her musings as she herself mused over what a dynamic couple James parents had made.

Her musings were cut short when the clock chimed two.

"Oh my goodness! Look at the time!" Agnes exclaimed. "You best get back to bed now, Dear."

"Yeah I suppose I should be going. Good night." replied Lily, turning to leave.

"Lily." called Agnes softly.

Lily turned around to look at her and was startled to see tears in her eyes.

"Thank you."

A/n: sorry I didn't update last week!! I told everyone I was going somewhere!! Ok don't worry plot twists are ending…ive only got a few more up my sleeve and each and every one of them leads to J and L forming a closer relationship. Plz be patient for a few more chapters….i know everyone wants them to finally get together but just like in real life…these things take time….esp after all the history the two have between them!!! However don't worry….when Marian Evans decides to do something she doesn't rest until it's done and that lady is on a mission to keep lily and james together. So…no fear. LOL that was from swan princes right there.

Anyway plz review to tell me what u thought of all of this. U can thankmy beta for this last scene. She is the one who added it in and I personally loved it!!!! She also added the scene where James mentions rita skeeter!! Hehe.


	30. Chapter 30:The Night and The Beach

Unfortunately for Lily, her period decided to show up a few days early.

Pain from severe cramps assailed her senses and Lily let out a small groan. This happened sometimes. It wasn't that frequent but it was frequent enough for Lily's mum to give her a supply of painkillers to last until the end of the Hogwarts year for Lily to use whenever the need arose.

Lily still had a handful left but just before she opened the bottle of painkillers, an idea struck her and she set the pills aside. Seeing to a few necessities, Lily formed a plan in her mind. She lay back down in bed, falling into a deep sleep, trying to ignore the cramps.

Half way through breakfast Agnes rushed upstairs trying to nudge Lily awake.

"I'm sick!" Lily moaned convincingly and clutched her abdomen. She had almost forgotten the horrid feeling that came with her first day when her body wanted to be difficult. This was pure torture. "I-maybe I ate something that didn't agree with me."

Lily knew she was believable; her face was pale with her forehead wrinkled in pain. Agnes looked at Lily hesitantly before turning on her heel, sending a Mediwizard to look after her.

Panicking, Lily straight out told the Mediwizard that she was having female problems and there was no need to check her up. The Mediwizard then assigned some painkillers, which Lily took once she was sure that James had left with Agnes.

Lily never found out what transpired between James and his aunt but when they arrived back James was calling her Aunt Agnes.Also, the resentment that had always been present in James towards his aunt seemed to have dimmed.

"I heard you were sick." James stated that afternoon as they all sat around in the backyard.

Lily felt a small blush appear on her cheeks as she nodded. "I guess I was tired or something. I'm fine now."

James didn't question her further and went back to talking with Sirius, who had just come back as the proud owner of a new flat.

Lily expelled a sigh of relief. Now the only worry she had left was what was she going to do tonight? She had told James that she would stay up with him tonight. Rosalyn suddenly broke into her thoughts as she entered the backyard, back from her week long absence. Lily stared at James as he smiled at Rosalyn and watched as Rosalyn tousled his hair affectionately with her long manicured hands. Lily's gaze strayed to her own hands which paled in comparison. Her nails were not longishly elegant like Rosalyn's, nor were they painted. For some odd reason she found herself thinking about James' Mum. Would she have been delighted to have someone as well-designed and glamorous as Rosalyn for a daughter-in-law? Who wouldn't be delighted? Rosalyn was so perfect.

Lily smiled helplessly as Rosalyn greeted her cheerfully.

OOooo

James stared into the flames solemnly that night as Rosalyn sat with him. She didn't know the significance of that night to him and he didn't care because at that moment all he wanted was comfort. Comfort from anyone…

Lily watched from her position in the hallway as she looked at Rosalyn sitting beside James. She had purposely sent Rosalyn down to sit with James, hoping that when he saw Rosalyn he would seek some form of comfort from her. It hurt Lily to do this but she wanted James to be happy and whenever she had seen him with Rosalyn he had been so happy!

Rosalyn, however, had no idea. All she saw was that James was sitting there and brooding. His silence was beginning to irritate her. Was something wrong? Rosalyn tried to slip her hand through his but James suddenly recoiled from her touch (he didn't want anyone to touch him…not tonight). Wincing, Rosalyn spoke.

"I'll see you in the morning." She stood up to leave.

Suddenly James realized that if she left he would be alone…..

"Stay awhile longer." He murmured feeling every bit as vulnerable as he looked and sounded.

"James, what's wrong?" Rosalyn said turning serious. He distinctly reminded Rosalyn of a little child who had skinned his knee. Moving his hair away from his forehead, she kissed his forehead, happy that he wanted her to stay with him. "You know you can tell me anything."

It was her kiss more than anything that finally made James realize what he was doing- because he didn't want Rosalyn to be here…he didn't want her to kiss his forehead comfortingly…she couldn't give him the solace he was seeking.

James merely gave her a ghost of a smile, looking at her blankly while Rosalyn ached to give him what he was seeking. What was wrong with him?

After a few minutes he sighed. "Go to bed, it's late." He observed, leaning back on the sofa.

Hesitantly, Rosalyn turned to leave only to see Lily standing in the hallway and urging her to stay with hand movements. Rosalyn shook her head in refusal and pulled Lily along with her towards the stairs.

"He wants to be alone." Rosalyn whispered "I think I know these things about James, Lily. Right now, he doesn't want anyone to be with him."

Lily watched Rosalyn walk up the steps and hesitated. Did James really want to be alone? But he had said he wanted her to stay up with him...no wait…he had asked her if she wanted to. He had not expressed a specific desire to have her stay up with him. Caught in a dilemma, Lily wondered what she should do.

James meanwhile merely sat looking into the flames, wishing he still had someone to talk to. Maybe he shouldn't have let Rosalyn go, but what was the point of keeping her there? It wasn't like she'd make him feel better. To James' knowledge the only person who could do that on this night was Lily, or rather, Liz. It was Liz that had stayed up with him in the past and comforted him. Was Lily going to come tonight and drive home the very conclusion James had formed in his mind-that Liz and Lily were one person? Or would she not come at all? In that next minute, James had his answer.

"James." Came a tentative voice from behind. James turned his head to see Lily standing there. Her hair fell around her in a red, satin river while her white nightgown was wrapped around her like a cocoon.

She walked over to him and sat beside him on the sofa. Tentatively, she brought a hand out to caress his cheek. It felt so good to have her touch him and comfort him. It was like oxygen while drowning. James took in a shuddering breath.

"It's O.K." she whispered rubbing her thumb over his cheek to wipe away the lone tear that fell down his cheek. "It's alright."

And then she was around him, her arms encasing him in her warmth and James had never felt more at peace. He inhaled her scent and buried his head in her shoulder.

"You remembered?" he whispered into her shoulder.

Lily nodded. "This is the one night you can't sleep. How could I forget?" she bit her lip before proceeding. "I wasn't sure though if I would've been welcome. That's why I didn't come down before."

"No Lily, don't ever think that." James replied into her shoulder taking from her what he had been seeking for so long. "You're always welcome."

Lily didn't reply. She merely held him as James allowed the awful memories of his father's death to wash over him. In her arms he felt safe. He felt as if it was all right to remember everything awful that had ever happened to him because she would keep the demons at bay. She would remind him what he really was and where he really was. She wouldn't let him be consumed by his memories. Suddenly, James felt as if this is what he had been waiting for. All those nights he'd stayed up….he'd been waiting for her. For her embrace, for her heartbeat to beat against his and give him strength.

Thus, he allowed himself to finally remember. Remember, as he saw his father clutch at his heart in pain and die in front of his eyes. Die of a heart attack no less. James suddenly rubbed his eyes against Lily's shoulder as Lily tightened her grip around him, trying to comfort him in the only way she knew how.

"He wouldn't want this James." Lily whispered into his ear as she leaned back against the couch, allowing James to rest his head on her shoulder. Absently she allowed her arm to go around the back of his neck. "Stop torturing yourself." She whispered as her breath hitched slightly. He was nuzzling his nose against her neck and it gave her a dizzying rush of heat.

"I know." He whispered, his breathe hot against her neck, making Lily shiver. "Please stay with me. Don't leave me." He whispered.

"I'm right here." Lily whispered wrapping her other arm around him as well and hugging him. "I'll stay here all night James. I won't go anywhere."

She felt him expel a small sigh against her neck and allowed him to delve back into his memories, whether they were good or bad, sad or happy.

He had a right to relive them, no matter what.

The next morning James woke up to find himself lying on the couch with Lily draped over him, her head resting on his chest.

Suddenly, on total impulse he kissed the top of her head as if it was the most normal thing in the world and then watched as she continued to sleep. When she finally awoke and rubbed the sleep away from her eyes, James sat up, assisted her in sitting up on the couch and kissed her cheek. A tingle went through his body as his lips made brief contact with her soft cheek.

"What was that for?" Lily murmured sleepily, still disoriented from sleep, barely able to register the contact.

James didn't reply. Instead, he allowed her to lean on him while they both stood up and made their way to their rooms. He inhaled her flowery scent as she leaned heavily against him and almost tripped while walking up the stairs. James caught her around the waist and chuckled inwardly as he remembered the press conference- she had a knack of tripping on those stairs. He was tempted to scoop her up in his arms but he knew that that would be going too far. Lily would begin to suspect his feelings and then she'd start to pull away. He didn't want that, so he contented himself with wrapping an arm around her waist for support.

Before she turned to go into her room however, James suddenly pulled her back and put the back of his hand on her forehead.

"Checking to see if you have a fever or not." James mumbled. "You woke up sick yesterday; I wanted to make sure that you weren't sick this morning again."

"I'm fine." Lily assured through a yawn and brushed James hand away. "I'll see you in a few hours. It's still 6 in the morning." She yawned again. James thought she looked adorable.

Without a backward glance, Lily turned and went into her room. James stood there looking at the door to her room, wishing she didn't have to leave his eyes even for one second. With a groan, James banged his head against the door to her room. A light, barely noticeable thud resounded as James head bumped against the door. Sighing, James pulled back, turned, and left for his own room.

OoooOo

Cassidy was supposed to come back in a few days. Soon, Sirius and she would both reach the adult age of 17. Lily couldn't help but be reminded of her own age. She was the last one to turn 17 among all her friends, not counting Natalie. Peter and Andrea would be turning 17 during their stay at the beach.

The day was pretty uneventful and the girls were concentrating more on packing then anything else. Lily couldn't help but wonder what exactly James was going to pack or rather if he was going to pack at all. Their rooms were right across from each other and whenever he opened the door to his room all Lily saw was a big mess. She couldn't help but wince at it. It also made Lily angry whenever a house elf cleaned up his room. She thought that he should learn to clean up his room himself. Lily told him so that afternoon when James entered his room and it was still messy.

"The house-elf forgot to clean my room!" James exclaimed, coming out of his room and looking at Lily who was standing in the hallway.

"I told the house-elf not to." Lily said smoothly with crossed arms. "You need to clean up your room yourself James."

"Why?" James whined.

"Because I say so!" Lily replied. "And because you need to learn to do things yourself! You can't just depend on other people to do your work for you!"

James grumbled under his breath before, saying he had no intention of cleaning up his room.

"Fine, then." Lily said haughtily. "Don't clean it up and don't expect anyone to clean it up for you. I own half this house incase you forgot. Also, being the mistress of this house the house-elves listen to my orders before they listen to yours. No house-elf is allowed to clean your room anymore. Get into the habit of cleaning up after yourself!" Lily snapped before turning, going into her room and slamming the door in James face.

James was left staring at the closed door with his mouth hanging open.

"Oy!" James exclaimed and began banging on Lily's door. "You can't do that! You're abusing your power!"

"I'm teaching you how to not be a baby!" Lily replied through the closed door.

James stopped banging on the door and yelled red in the face. "BE THAT WAY! Don't think I'm actually going to clean up my room!!"

Silence.

"You…who do you think you are?!" James yelled angrily. "You have no right to tell me what and what not to do."

More silence.

"You're not my mother." James said with pout. "Don't think I'm going to clean my room just because you tell me to."

James kicked at Lily's door childishly before turning and going into his room. He looked at it with a resigned sigh before getting to work on cleaning it up.

"I hate women." James muttered as he used his wand to hang his clothes in his closet. A duster was floating around his room and dusting it.

"Good for you." Came a new voice. James turned to see Lily standing in his open doorway appreciatively. "James is becoming a big boy." Lily said with a smirk.

"Shut up." James murmured and shot Lily a scathing look. "If you're so intent on abusing the powers of being my wife, you should also act like one. Isn't it the wife that does all her husband's work for her? Aren't you supposed to do wife stuff; like pack for me, make my breakfast…iron my robes?" he teased.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Please James; you're not a ten year old child."

"You know… no one ever really did that for me even when I was ten." James replied as if it was something normal. "Sometimes I wondered how it would feel to have someone who loved me do all those things….make my my favorite food….you know it's different when servants do it for you."

James turned his head to look at Lily and she was looking at James gravely.

"I'm sorry." Lily said honestly, laying a hand on his arm.

"Oh don't be." James replied evasively. "I never meant to make you pity me with those remarks. I was just telling you….. I mean I didn't expect you to get all sad. It's just that it's so easy to tell you things I've been hiding for a good part of my life. I just….feel better after telling you. If I would have known you'd pity me I wouldn't have told you." He ended helplessly.

"I don't pity you James." Lily said quietly. "I just wish someone had been there to do all of that stuff for you."

"S'all right." James said uncomfortably. "I mean I'm not scarred for life or anything. I made it out all right. It was nothing traumatic or anything." He ended reassuringly.

Lily opened her mouth to tell James that it didn't matter if it had been traumatic or not. It had still hurt him deeply.

However, they were interrupted by a breathless Sirius entering the room.

"Cassidy!" he gasped out. "She's been in an accident, she's at St. Mungo's!"

OOooOooo

"What happened?" Lily demanded as they walked down the halls of St. Mungo's towards Cassidy's room.

Sirius shrugged. "My younger brother Regulus. All he did was send me a letter informing me that Cassidy had gone off to Knockturn Alley with our mother. Something happened over there. Some sort of accident. I have no idea what happened."

They reached Cassidy's room but just as they were about to go in an ominous looking woman emerged with long black wavy hair that resembled Cassidys when it was long.

She eyed Sirius with contempt.

"Get out of my sight! Who told you to come here?!" she yelled.

Sirius winced and looked at his friends, as if apologizing for his mother's awful behavior. Mrs. Black suddenly turned her attention to the group behind Sirius and screamed.

"You! All of you! Leave! I am still my daughter's legal guardian I will not allow her to see any of you! All you Mudbloods and Mudblood lovers!" she fumed.

"Please." Remus pleaded. "Please…let me see her. I just want to make sure she is all right…please…"

"GET OUT OF MY SIGHT!" she yelled at them. "SHE IS MY DAUGHTER AND NONE OF YOUR CONCERN! YOU ARE A FILTHY EXCUSE FOR A WIZARD!"

"I WANT TO SEE HER!" Remus roared, trying to push past Mrs. Black. A handful of wizards were suddenly restraining Remus while he fought against their hold, trying to get to Cassidy desperately.

"Sir, you're not immediate family!" One wizard gasped. "You have no right to see her unless her legal guardian allows it. Sir, please! You must calm down!"

Remus stilled as the panting wizard's words registered in his brain. He suddenly pulled himself out of their grasp, turned and left.

Everyone watched him leave.

Sirius was the only one who was able to get in to see Cassidy after going to reception and explaining that he was in his mother's bad graces and she was not allowing him to see his injured sister. He assured everyone that she was fine but they couldn't help but feel apprehensive. Would Cassidy be all right? What exactly had happened at knockturn alley?

OooOooOo

Remus walked aimlessly along some unknown street, his hands in his pockets as the words resounded in his brain.

'_You have no right to see her' _

'_You are not immediate family' _

'_Her legal guardian._'

He kicked at a wall in frustration. Why were there so many damn technicalities?!

OoOooOoOO

Remus hadn't retuned since yesterday. Cassidy was finally awake and when her mother left she pleaded with Regulus to allow her friends in. Regulus had agreed with a disgruntled sigh. Cassidy was his only sister after all and he had an extreme soft spot for her.

Maybe it was because when they had been younger, before Hogwarts and all the barriers brought from being in different houses, she had always protected him from their mothers wrath. His mother had been bent on the fact that if she couldn't control Sirius ( her eldest son), she would control Regulus (her other son). She succeeded but only after Cassidy's protection over him had lifted. When she went off to Hogwarts he was his mothers to manipulate and brainwash. However, Regulus could still distinctly remember the numerous times his mother had tried to find him for some horrid lesson or punishment and Cassidy would hide him in her room, lying that she had no idea where Regulus was. Cassidy had escaped their mothers brainwashing, she had had Sirius. Regulus had had Cassidy but only until she left with Sirius for Hogwarts. Regulus would never admit it but part of the reason he resented his older brother was because he had a closer relationship with their only sister. Cassidy was supposed to be his accomplice, not Sirius's.

So even though Regulus didn't like allowing all the stupid Gryffindors to see Cassidy, he let them. He let them because he could see how anxious she was over wanting to see her boyfriend. He could tell that she desperately wanted to see Remus…but after Cassidy's mother had yelled at them all Remus had left and not come back yet.

OOooO

"He'll show up." Lily assured Cassidy. "After all, your birthday is tomorrow. I don't think Remus is going to just disappear on us all for an endless number of days."

Cassidy bit her lips worriedly. She was more afraid of the fact that something bad had happened to him. It wasn't like Remus to just disappear. She could understand him wanting to cool off for awhile but he had been gone for over 24 hours!

Both girls heard the door open and they turned to see Sirius enter.

"Look who finally decided to show up." Sirius said with a smile, he stepped aside to show Remus standing in the door way. He looked at Cassidy steadily before quietly saying.

"Thank God you're all right."

There was an awkward pause before Sirius cleared his throat. "I guess we'll leave you two alone for awhile."

With that Lily and he left the room.

Cassidy finally spoke. "Where were you?" she asked quietly.

Remus grunted.

"I was worried." Cassidy said, concerned.

"It's not fair!" Remus suddenly burst out. "I wanted to see you Cass…I was worried…I thought I was going to loseyou and…and I couldn't see you! She…They wouldn't let me see you!"

Cassidy held her arms out and allowed Remus to enter them.

"I love you." He said desperately, clenching her to him tightly. "Yet, my love isn't enough. There are still bonds holding me back! If I had been a member of the family she would have never been able to forbid me from seeing you! But I was only your boyfriend….just your boyfriend…." Remus buried his head in Cassidy's shoulder. "I love you so much and you're not even entirely mine yet."

"What do you mean?" Cassidy asked cautiously, she was his girlfriend and she had told him she loved him. What more did he want?

Remus pulled back and looked at her intensely, his brown eyes making her dizzy. "I want to make you mine Cassidy…" he slipped something into Cassidy's hand. "I want to make myself yours. I don't want anything to keep us apart. We acknowledged our love for each other…" Cassidy looked down at what he had given her. She gasped. "I think it's time to make the world acknowledge it."

Cassidy looked down at the diamond ring Remus had given her reverently. "Remus…so soon..." she murmured. "Are you sure?" she asked earnestly, looking up at him. This bordered on madness. They were still too young!

"We'll keep it a secret for now." Remus murmured. "But I want to marry you Cass. We'll keep it a secret but I don't think I can wait any longer to marry you. It's driving me crazy that tomorrow something else might happen to you but because I'm not immediate family I won't be allowed to see you. Please...marry me….you know what's going on, these are dangerous times. ANYTHING could happen …marry me." he kissed her.

Cassidy pulled back and looked at Remus. She must be crazy, she must be mad, she was not even 17 yet and she was going to marry Remus-she was going to do it because she loved him, because something equally fatal could happen to him and just the mere fact that being immediate family would permit her from seeing him. It was a symbol of the fact that they weren't entirely each others. She wanted to end that symbol. She wanted to be the first to know if anything ever happened to him and the first one to have rights over anything regarding him. That wasn't the only reason however. Something….something was telling her to live for the moment. Some sort of sixth sense was urging her to hurry….as if she didn't have much time left.

"I love you." Cassidy whispered, kissing Remus between her words. "I love you so much…"

OOoOoOoO

By the time it was time to go down to the beach Cassidy was all right again. Lily was relieved but she couldn't help but notice that something was amiss. Often, she would find Cassidy smiling to herself or Remus and Cassidy staring at each other oddly. A few times, the two had even shared secretive smiles. Lily wondered if this was some sort of after effect of Cassidy's accident. Maybe the accident had brought them closer. Lily didn't ponder too much over it, though. They had reached the beach and rented a beach house to stay in. Lily couldn't help but smile. This was going to be a summer to remember!

oOoOoooOo

"This is great!" Sirius exclaimed as he splashed water on Andrea. Andrea turned her head away so the water wouldn't get in her eyes.

On impulse, Lily suddenly jumped Sirius' back making him topple into the water.

"Let's get him Lily!" Andrea exclaimed happily and began splashing water at Sirius as soon as he resurfaced. He reached a hand out and it caught onto Lily's wrist. He forcefully pulled her under the water. Lily screamed before she was pushed under water.

Upon resurfacing, she saw Remus standing in front of her, smiling.

"Finally I have hel-" she was cut off when Remus splashed water at her. Sputtering Lily muttered. "Fine then, if you Marauders want to be that-" she was cut off as Remus splashed more water at her, chuckling. "ARGH!" Lily yelled angrily.

"What's going on?" a very dry and unknowing James asked as he waded into the water. Every single eye was focused on him for a split second before Andrea dived under water, grabbed onto his ankle and pulled him under. After that, James was the main target until of course poor, unsuspecting Peter arrived.

Hours later, they all sat on the beach exhausted. Lily was tempted to just fall asleep right there. She had no idea that it was taking all of James willpower not to ogle at her in her bathing suit (she was wearing the tankini not the bikini.). He couldn't help but allow his gaze to flick towards her legs every now and then, making him feel like some sort of pervert. Just because she was wearing something not as revealing didn't curb James appetite of staring at her.

Finally, James got up and made to go to the beach house they had rented. Julie was inside writing a letter-most likely to her husband.

"Having fun?" she asked offhandedly as she rolled up her parchment and attached it to her owl's leg.

James merely grunted in response as his gaze flicked towards the window and his eyes strayed to Lily who was laughing at something Sirius had just said.

Julie looked at him with a knowing smile before grabbing a towel and throwing it at James face.

"You should just tell her." Julie said with a giggle as James looked at her with a put off expression on his face. "Tell her, James, that you like her. No use keeping it a secret. Even if she doesn't reciprocate your feelings, you'll feel better."

James sighed and threw the towel Julie had thrown at him onto the couch.

"I'm afraid that if I tell her, she'll pull away from me." He murmured like a little lost boy. "I don't want to lose her."

Julie tsked. "James, trust me. She would never pull away from you. You two are such good friends; I don't think Lily could to bring herself to do it."

James didn't reply and when he did open his mouth to speak, he was cut off by Sirius entering the beach house, exclaiming that he was ravenous (or rather he tried to pronounce ravenous). James smirked at Sirius, commenting on how Remus must have tried to teach him a new word. Sirius threw a piece of salami at James who ducked just in time. Unfortunately for Peter, he had been behind James at the time. Everyone guffawed as Peter picked the piece of Salami out of his hair. The girls promptly ewed when they entered to see Peter picking salami out of his hair and putting it in his mouth.

OooOOOooOo

James emerged from the beach house to get some fresh air that night and found Lily sitting on a lawn chair situated outside. Her hair was wet and she was absently running her fingers through it making James mouth go dry as he watched the moonlight reflect off of her satin red hair.

"James?" Lily suddenly asked, turning to look at him.

James gave her a small smile. She had obviously heard his sharp intake of breath as he watched her hair slide through her fingers, bringing images to his mind…images of her hair sliding through his fingers.

"Mind if I join you?" he asked quietly.

Lily smiled and motioned towards the chair beside her.

"Having fun?" he asked tentatively.

Lily nodded with a content sigh as she leaned back in the lawn chair.

"We'll be Seventh years next year!" Lily exclaimed happily.

"You'll be Head Girl." James also added.

Lily turned to look at James with a small smile. "You think so?" she asked hopefully.

"You got the highest on our finals this year." James replied. "Of course you'll be Head Girl."

Lily smiled pleasantly; she had gotten the highest so she would definitely be head girl.

"I wonder who'll be Head Boy." Lily mused.

James shrugged. "As long as it's not Clearwater, I'm not complaining." James said gruffly.

"Bryan?" Lily asked startled. "Why? Don't you like him?"

'Because you two are entirely more intimate than I would like' James said to himself. He could never forget how Bryan had called Lily to come and sit with him or how she had spent the night in his dorm. For some reason thinking about these things now made him more jealous than he had ever felt before.

Lily tried to read James blank face but gave up and leaned her head back in her chair. James turned to look at her, feeling his breath catch. He couldn't help but wonder how she was just an arm's length away physically but the real distance between them was so much more.

"Lily-" James began quietly. Lily turned to look at him. "Lily I-"

He was cut off when water was suddenly thrown on him from behind. Turning to glare murderously, James saw Sirius standing there with a grin.

James spoke some very colorful language to Sirius under his breath before getting up to chase after him. Lily laughed as she watched James chase Sirius down the beach, finally catch up with him and push him face first into the wet sand. Laughing, Sirius said something which made James kick sand at the back of Sirius's head.

Lily smiled. She knew these good times couldn't last forever, but a girl could hope couldn't she?

OOooOOoO

"James, it is so obvious that you like her." Natalie said teasingly to James as she walked down the beach during the late afternoon with him. Her blonde curly hair was pulled into a tight ponytail while she was clad in beige shorts and a pink shirt. Her pink sandals were hooked onto her thumb as she lazily kicked the sand with her bare feet.

"Who?" James asked dumbly.

Natalie giggled. "Lily of course!" she kicked some sand at his feet playfully.

James mouth went dry. "Does Lily…"

"No." Natalie said firmly shaking her head. "She is in denial. It would be so obvious to her if it wasn't for the fact that she believes that you liking her is something too good to be true."

James winced as he put his hands in his navy blue swimming trunk pockets.

"I wish I could go back in time and undo the damage that I've done." He explained quietly. "Sometimes I think that things would have been so much better if I had stayed with Lily in spite of the attraction I felt for Lynn. I wouldn't be in this mess."

"Look James-" Natalie began. "-I admit you were wrong to do what you did with Rosalyn but what's done is done. Everything happens for a reason. I think if your relationship with Lily had been smooth sailing, you wouldn't have treasured it as much as you will when you finally do get with her."

"When?" James asked hopefully. "You're quite confident."

Natalie nodded. "Everyone can see the way you two flirt with each other 24/7."

"We do not!" James began indignantly.

"Please James!" Natalie exclaimed. "It is so obvious that you two are attracted towards each other."

"Each other?" James echoed. He shook his head. "Lily doesn't…she…she only thinks of me as a friend. No matter how friendly we get, she will always keep me at a certain distance."

"I know." Natalie said quietly. "Unless you tell her James. She'll let you in, if you just tell her. Talk to her…share things with her."

"I already do that. She's easy to talk to." James said with a shrug.

"Why don't you tell her how you feel?" Natalie urged. She was positive that once Lily knew of James' love for her…she would open her heart to him. Lily wouldn't hold back because it was so obvious that she loved him just as much as he loved her!

"I…what if she rejects me?" James asked like a little child asking if Santa Claus was real. "What if she pulls away from me?"

"She'll reject you at first James but she won't pull away. She'll move closer to you. She just won't voice it. Then when she is finally ready, she will tell you. Don't expect her to fall at your feet upon your declaration of love. James-" Natalie said with a sigh. "-sometimes to get somewhere you just have to take risks. I think this is a risk worth taking."

James didn't reply as he looked at the sand in contemplation.

Natalie kicked some sand at his ankles, making James yell in indignation before taking off after her as she ran down to where everyone else was sitting in the sun. From Natalie's shrieks of laughter as Sirius grabbed her and tickled her while James shoved sand down her shirt, no one could tell that she carried a broken heart inside of her.

A/N: she is sad over Kingsley incase u can't tell….and after this is done I might just write a story about those two. I am so sorry for the long wait! I went down to visit my aunt and was shocked upon discovering that gasp she did not have internet. Apparently her son just goes to his university whenever the need for using the internet arises. Made me really mad since all I had to do was email this chapter to my beta. Now I'm a week behind. Again..i'm really sorry. On the Brightside…im stuck at home for the rest of summer so expect faster updates!! Check for the next update in five days…I will either have posted the chapter or will have posted an update date on my profile!! Until then…

Read and Review!!!

Also….can u tell how they're relationship is progressing?? As well as how James decision to not share his feelings with Lily is slowly starting to waver??-wink wink- Be patient…if we're lucky….there might be huge progress in the next chapter.

RnR pple!!! Tell me what you thought of this chapter! Here's a secret-my beta didn't like it. So if everyone agrees or disagrees with her, I need to know as it will greatly influence my writing style of upcoming chapters.


	31. Chapter 31:Lily lets her gaurd down

"You girls-"Sirius began mutinously. All five girls opened their eyes, slightly aggravated that Sirius was interrupting their sun bathing time. "-have been doing nothing all day other than sitting in the sun trying to get tan!"

Rosalyn giggled, not noticing Andrea shoot her an annoyed look.

"Tanning in the sun is so much better than using charms. It's better for your skin."

Sirius rolled his eyes. "We're going back tomorrow. Get up and do something with us."

In reply, all five girls turned onto their stomachs so their backs would get some sun as well. Sirius let out a defeated groan before turning and leaving.

"You're going to get sunburn." said Peter, who came out half an hour later to check whether or not the girls had finished sunbathing.

Lily tsked. "Peter you're so pale yourself that you could use some tanning."

Peter looked down at his pale arms. "You think so?" he asked looking back up at Lily with an eager expression. "You think I would look hotter if I were tan?"

"Positive." Lily replied, tossing Peter a bottle of sun tan lotion.

Peter put some on and then found a perch next to Lily. He lay down and allowed the sun to work its magic on him. That is how the three marauders found him 15 minutes later.

"You-you-" Sirius spluttered. "A disgrace to Marauders everywhere!" Sirius finally ended.

"Not to mention a disgrace to manhood" added James slyly, "How many men have you been across who sunbathe?"

Remus laughed as they sat down to eat their sandwiches.

"Where's Julie?" Cassidy asked James, sitting up on her towel to grab a sandwich.

"She's spending the day with her husband." James replied. "He had a free day in between so they decided to meet up and spend time together."

Lily suddenly looked up at the sky, surprised to find herself wondering whether James would spend his spare time with her during his business trip.

Oddly enough, she found herself pondering over this same thing, hours later as she lay in the girl's room. Andrea and Cassidy had gotten the bunk bed (they had drawn straws) while Natalie and Lily were on sleeping bags on the floor. Tossing and turning in her sleeping bag, Lily decided that maybe if she got a glass of water or some milk it would help her sleep.

"Where are you going?" came a faint voice as Lily stood up.

"Why are you still awake?" Lily asked, turning to look at Natalie.

Natalie shrugged, unwilling to admit the real reason. She missed Kingsley terribly but she wouldn't admit it. She wouldn't tell anyone.

"Do you want to go and get something to drink with me?" Lily finally asked.

Natalie nodded. "Let me get my robe on." She said.

Lily shook her head. "It's all right Natalie. Everyone's asleep. No one's going to be awake right now."

Natalie hesitated, looking down at her sleeveless shirt that went down to mid thigh, the neck scooped so low her chest was practically falling out.

"Come on." Lily urged. "Don't worry."

Natalie gave in and stood up to leave the room with Lily. It wasn't until they had gotten their water and were walking back to their room that the girls heard two sets of footsteps enter the cottage. Both stiffened, they didn't even have their wands with them. Lily suddenly relaxed upon recognizing James voice. He was talking to someone in a low whisper. Suddenly, the other man spoke up a little loudly and that; combined with how Natalie suddenly stiffened was enough to tell Lily who that person was.

"It's bad, James." Kingsley said gravely, as both stopped in the lounge. "You-Know-Who is gaining more power every day. It's not on such a huge scale but mark my words, that man will be making headlines on newspapers soon enough, unless of course he gains control of those too."

James expelled a breath. "These are dangerous times I know, I know." James replied. The girls edged slightly closer so they could hear the two. "Sometimes I want to stop thinking about others." Lily could see his silhouette and she saw him put his head in his hands. "I want to save my family. Take them away from here so they can be safe."

Kingsley clapped a hand onto James back. "You're a good person James as well as a valuable member of the Order."

James suddenly straightened. "Thank You, Kingsley. I need to focus right now. If we don't stop him now then what kind of world will our children grow up in? He's only going to gain more power if we sit by and do nothing."

Both girls suddenly gasped as they felt a wand at each of their backs.

"Did you two think you could actually sneak around with me around?" They heard Kingsley say from behind them. Lily trembled-while James had talked, Kingsley had melted into the shadows and snuck up on them! Lily was duly impressed.

"Who are they?" James asked casually (so he had known about them as well!) as he began to walk towards them and a simple Lumos lit up her features. "Lily?" he asked taken aback. He then turned to look at "Natalie?" James asked again. Lily felt Kingsley who was standing behind her, become rigid.

"What are the two of you doing awake?" James asked as Kingsley took his wands away from their backs.

"We wanted to get something to drink." Lily said in a small voice.

There was an awkward silence as Natalie stood with her back to Kingsley. She could practically feel his gaze boring into her back and she was all too aware of her lack of proper clothing.

"Lily-I…err…come with me." James finally said and grabbed her cold arm to drag her into a different room. He ended up dragging her into a closet with him.

"He really likes her." James explained to Lily as they stood chest to chest mashed into a coat closet.

"Which is why you brought me into a closet?" Lily asked incredulously.

"Well….I was aiming for outside but this will do. They just need some time to talk."

Lily raised an eyebrow.

After a moment of silence James tried to explain. "Maybe if they get a chance to talk properly they will sort out their differences and-"

There was a loud slam telling them that Natalie had suddenly run back into her room and slammed the door. Another slam told them that Kingsley was gone.

"You should be given a medal in matchmaking." Lily commented.

"So you think I did pretty well?" James inquired.

Lily snorted. "The medal should be for being the worst matchmaker alive." And with that Lily left, slamming the closet door behind her to go and talk to Natalie.

OoOoOOOOoOOoO

The next day, everyone returned to James mansion. Lily returned with a heavy heart, the knowledge that she wouldn't see James for a whole month weighing down on her. She didn't notice it but throughout that day James took his fill of her. He watched her every chance he got, memorized every feature and each line of her face knowing that this would be the last time he saw her for a whole month.

"I can't believe you have to leave." Lily said, disgruntled. "It seems like just yesterday that summer began…don't go." She pleaded on impulse as she looked up at James that night. They were in Lily's room, James leaning against the door and Lily standing in front of him.

"I wish I could stay." James said resignedly. His eyes suddenly lit up and he looked down at Lily with a small smile. "We can chat on wizard net."

"I don't know…" Lily hedged. She didn't think it was a good idea-it brought back too many memories.

"Come on Lily. It'll be like old times." James teased.

"That's what I'm afraid of." Lily whispered under her breath. Unfortunately James caught it. Lily barely missed his sigh of regret. "O.K." Lily said suddenly and was taken aback by James' expression of joy.

"I'll bring you back a present." James said leaning towards her so he was whispering into her ear. "What do you want?" he murmured almost lovingly.

'A kiss' Lily thought to herself shakily as she took a step away from James.

She shook her head to clear it of those thoughts and smiled up at him.

"If you come back early, I'll consider it gift enough." She said with a shy smile.

James chuckled softly before turning and opening the door.

"Night Lily." He said. "See you in the morning." He rumpled her hair affectionately, and turned to leave.

"Night." She said quietly and watched as he shut the door. Lily breathed in deeply. This was not good…not good at all. Instead of distancing herself from him, she was becoming even more attached! Maybe during these three weeks she would be able to break the habit of wanting to see him-to be with him all the time.

OoooOO

Yet, three weeks without James were even worse. Their rooms were right across from each other and Lily had gotten used to his presence being within yelling distance. She had gotten accustomed to seeing him every morning and every night before going to sleep…

During James' three week absence Remus and Cassidy had gone off, Cassidy saying that she wanted to meet Remus' mother. Rosalyn had also left to spend time with her father. Peter had left too. Sirius had persuaded Andrea into going with him to spend some time at his flat and help him buy furniture for it. Natalie had also left to spend some time with her parents.

Lily suddenly felt very alone. Julie was still with her of course and so was Aunt Agnes. Lily made frequent trips to her own home which in a way helped curb her homesickness. It was very different having to live with a totally new family. You had to live by the set of rules that they had in their house. You had to eat dinner at the time they served it, sleeping in late as well seemed like a rude thing to do so Lily would always make an effort to be awake by 8 o clock every morning. It wasn't that Julie and Agnes were overbearing. Lily knew that they would not have minded if she slept in late, didn't help with small chores or even didn't sit with them for tea every afternoon to chat. On the contrary they would probably have encouraged her to sleep in late and act like the teenager she was.

It was just that Lily felt that it wasn't the proper thing to do. Even now when she was terribly homesick and would do anything to wake up to the smell of her mother's chocolate chip pancakes, Lily didn't think it was a good idea to go home until James came back, especially go home alone. For one, Petunia was there. She was being a total idiot, convinced that wizards were barbaric due to Lily's predicament. The few times Lily had gone to visit, Petunia would sit there making scathing comments about how Lily was a freak, stuck in an uncivilized marriage that hadn't even taken place in a church. Petunia was acting worse than ever and Lily had a sneaking suspicion that it was more because of the fact that Lily's mum was over the moon about James and how rich he was. She would go on and on and on to Petunia about how lucky Lily was to have found such a nice man. This in turn only intensified the hostility of Petunias comments. At least, if James went with her Petunia would not be able to sit in private with Lily ("Sisters need to bond mother." Petunia would say sweetly and Mrs. Evans would happily leave the two to themselves, glad that they were getting along) and insult her. Once Petunia had even said to Lily that she must be pregnant and hiding it from their parents, making up the whole Goblet of Ice story to appease their daddy. Lily had, after listening to that, stood up in a rage and left the house without even saying good bye to anyone.

Although, even if Petunia had been the soul of kindness on Lily's visits to home, Lily would still not have gone to live with her parents. For now, her home was James home. She couldn't get up and leave at whim. This was her home for now and it seemed ridiculous to pack a bag and go stay with her parents when she could just as easily go for a few hours every day to see them. Trying to explain this to herself was the easy part, trying to push away the urge to sit in the lounge with her parents every night as her father watched the news and her mother read funny little stories from one of her gossip magazines was the hard part. At the same time Lily couldn't help but wonder that if James had been with her she wouldn't have missed her home half as much as she was missing it now. Her homesickness was due more to the fact that she missed James a lot and everywhere she looked, things reminded her of James.

"_I wish I could see you"_ Lily scrawled one night in her wizard net book as she sat chatting with James.

"_I've been gone for a week and you already feel lonely"_ James teased. "_Maybe you won't be so mean to me now." _

"_Don't count on it"._ Lily replied. "_I'll probably wonder why I missed you so much when you do get back. Goodness knows the house is so quiet now with no one here…I bet I wouldn't miss you as much if everyone else hadn't left all of a sudden." _

"_Why don't you go and spend some time with your mum? I bet she would love to have you over for a few nights." _

"_I would go but Petunia is there as well. All she does is snap at me and make scathing remarks. She didn't even go with us when we went shopping. I don't want to deal with her. Now that I've gotten married it's even worse. She's convinced now that wizards are barbaric and uncivilized forcing people into marriages."_

"_Point taken. I'm sorry I had to leave. I didn't like leaving…especially since I was the host". _

"_Don't feel bad, James. It's alright. Everyone got a chance to go do their own thing for awhile." _

"_Hey, what do you want for your birthday? I'm in France right now- I might as well get you something nice while I'm here". _

"_I don't know James….what can you get in France that you can't get anywhere else?"_

"_Hmm…the Eiffel tower?"_

"_Haha…now that you mention it…you're rich enough. Get me the Eiffel tower". _

"_Ouch…I should have seen that coming." _

"_You should have….seriously though James I don't want anything. I want you to come home early though. You think you could do that? Your sister and aunt are nice but for some reason I feel lonely. I want to see you….it's weird. Like sometimes the urge to see your face, to talk to you, to h_ (the h was suddenly scratched out and the rest of the writing was hurried) _it becomes unbearable. I….really, really miss you."_

James hand stilled as he read those words in his hotel room in France. Did she like him….she….no matter what she said and how she acted….did she feel something for him? He had initiated a relationship between them in which they had started to share almost everything with each other and Lily sharing this need of hers to see him showed James that she felt something more for him than friendship. She must! She wanted to see him….

Or was he delving too deeply into her words? She probably wanted to see Andrea as well as Cassidy. She was his friend; of course she would want to see him but the manner in which she wrote it…

James shook his head before replying.

"_It's late Lily. I'll talk to you tomorrow night. I'll try and come home early". _

"_Not try...you will…"_

"_You're a demanding little brat, you know that right?"_ James wrote back. He muttered something under his breath.

Lily let out a squeal as she felt a rush of air and then what felt oddly like a hand pull her hair playfully.

"_How'd you do that?"_ Lily wrote curiously.

"_A marauder never reveals his secrets."_ James wrote back. "_Good night Lily."_

With that he shut his book leaving Lily to look at what James had written. She musingly took a lock of her hair and twirled it around her finger. That had been a smart bit of magic right there, with the wind and an invisible hand pull her hair. Plus, it was a charm, Charms was Lily's forte and she didn't even know how James had done it.

He was a smart kid.

OOOo

James lay back in his bed contemplating what exactly to do about Lily. It was no secret that they were close but should he tell her that this closeness was a form of torture for him? Even now there was this urgent need to see her, to hear her voice….and when he was close to her he wanted to hold her, kiss her…

James shook his head before trying to go back to sleep.

Note, trying.

OoooOoo

"Morning!" Lily exclaimed cheerfully a few days later as she sat down for breakfast with Agnes and Julie.

Both greeted her warmly, inquiring if she had slept well. Lily nodded while chewing on a strawberry.

"I'm going to be spending the day in Italy today with Michael." Julie informed her Aunt and Lily. "He isn't doing anything today so he suggested us spending time together today. Would either of you like anything from Italy?"

Agnes shook her head saying that the only thing she needed right now were shoes and the ones in France were currently the rage.

"Point." Julie said before turning to Lily expectantly.

Lily shook her head and opened her mouth without thinking. "How do y-" Lily suddenly cut herself off realizing what she had been about to say. She quickly went back to eating her strawberries.

"What Lily?" Julie asked encouragingly. "How do I what? It's all right, you can ask me."

Lily hesitated, knowing that this question would give so much away. Was it worth the risk? Julie wasn't stupid; she'd be able to read the profound meaning behind this question. Lily looked at her hands helplessly.

"You can ask me anything Lily." Julie said kindly. "I won't spread it around if that's what you're afraid of."

Lily shook her head. "I-It's not that, it's just…how-" Lily stopped short, took a deep breath and went on. "-how do you cope being away from your husband for so long? D-don't you miss him? What's your trick, your secret?"

Julie smiled understandingly but wisely answered the question without voicing what she had discovered from this question.

"I miss him." Julie acknowledged. "I miss him a lot but….I see him a lot too. Every chance he gets, he talks to me, visits me, spends time with me. He is always doing some sort of business venture, trying to make himself richer than he already is." Julie rolled her eyes. "It sometimes frustrates me that he is so busy this summer. However, I understand that this is what he does. This is what he enjoys doing. For him, delving into business ventures, taking risks, reaping profits and mingling in the business world is what makes him happy. If it makes him happy I don't want to keep him away from it. I'm not going to make him choose between me and a profession which he is so passionate about. Besides-"Julie added. "-it isn't always like this. It's just that this summer he is especially busy and I understand. I may not like it, but I understand. Today, he had some free time and he suggested we spend it together. It's not like we're completely cut off from each other this summer."

Julie suddenly saw the disappointment in Lily's eyes. James was with Michael. If Michael had found time then surely James could have? Lily suddenly wondered why she was so disappointed. This was to be expected, all James had done so far was disappoint her, right?

"Today-" Julie went on. "-is the first time that Michael is completely giving James free reign over a business transaction. James is going to be handling it today. He is handling a merger between Michael's company and one in Italy. If they merge it will be very advantageous for the Wizarding world. We'll be able to introduce a new line of cauldrons in the UK. Ones that acid can't burn through."

Lily raised her eyes, realizing the import of this. Many a time their cauldrons had been destroyed due to a potion in which the wrong amount of ingredients had been added turning them acidic. It was a common mistake, which resulted in thousands of cauldrons dissolving right before their eyes every year.

"He's actually scared that he is going to fail at it." Julie confided. "The manufacturers in Italy are still undecided. It's James job to convince them of the profits."

Lily swallowed. He had never told her. He must have been so worried and apprehensive but not once had he revealed it. Why hadn't he shared it with her? They practically shared everything with each other now.

"He is afraid of failure." Julie repeated. "He doesn't want anyone to think less of him due to his failure."

Lily suddenly turned and ran up the stairs. In a few minutes she was down again and handing Julie a letter.

"If you see him. Please give this to him." Lily requested before going back to her food.

Julie looked at Lily with a small smile.

Agnes cleared her throat and asked Lily what her plans were for today. It was then that Lily decided to go and visit her parents for awhile after breakfast.

OooO

"Mum!" Lily called stepping out of the fireplace.

"Lily!" her mom exclaimed, running into the dining room dusty and completely happy. "How are you Sweetheart? I'd hug you but all this cleaning seems to have gotten me dusty. I wouldn't want to mess up your clothes."

Lily smiled and reached out to hug her mom anyway. Both hugged each other before Lily asked what exactly her mother was cleaning.

"The storage closet." Marian replied. "It's never ever been cleaned and today I reached in to take out some old photos of Petunia to show her new boyfriend (Lily couldn't help but smirk. Petunias baby pictures consisted of a bawling baby spattered in food, not to mention a few bathtub pictures.) and realized that the closet is a mess!" Marian smiled. "It brought back so many memories. Come here." She pulled Lily along into the corridor. They walked towards the closet situated in a corner of the living room. Marian pulled out a board game. Lily's eyes lit up as she read the word Scrabble.

"I loved this game!" Lily exclaimed happily, grabbing it and hugging it to her chest.

"I remember!" Marian exclaimed. "We used to sit and play scrabble every Tuesday night!"

"And we used to play Monopoly every Friday night." Lily shot back. "I remember mum! Tuesdays was Scrabble night and Friday was Monopoly night! Oh I miss playing these games!"

Marian laughed. "How about you hang around for diner and then we sit and play?"

The glow on Lily's face dimmed. Her shoulders drooped slightly as she shook her head.

"I- I can't mum. Aunt Agnes will eat dinner alone if I don't go back. I don't want her to be alone." Lily sighed regretfully. She had never planned on actually becoming a part of James family but she couldn't help it. They were all so nice and welcomed her with open arms-she couldn't just forget Aunt Agnes and think of herself. "Also…I'm supposed to talk to James tonight…"

Maybe that was another reason why she was eager to get back home.

OOOooO

Lily arrived back that evening in time to sit and have tea before dinner with Aunt Agnes.

"You were gone for a few hours but it seemed like days." Aunt Agnes said sipping her tea. "I miss you when you're gone." She sighed. "It's like you've brought life to this cold, lonely house Lily."

Lily blushed at the praise and handed Aunt Agnes a plate of cookies.

"What's that?" Aunt Agnes asked pointing at the board games Lily had in a plastic bag.

"They're Muggle board games." Lily began hesitantly. Agnes looked at them interestedly. "I don't suppose you'd like to play after dinner…" Lily trailed off.

Aunt Agnes nodded enthusiastically. "What a pleasant change that would be! Julie's supposed to be back after dinner as well! We can include her."

Lily nodded happily.

OooOO

Dinner, in the Potter Manor was always an elegant affair no matter how many people were present. Five courses were served by smartly dressed house elves each night. Although Lily missed the cozy dinners she had at her parents house, she had to admit, it was a pleasant change.

"He did it!" Julie exclaimed happily as she burst into the dining room when they were halfway through their third course. Lily suddenly choked on her pumpkin juice before swallowing it and jumping up and down excitedly. She hugged Julie and then Aunt Agnes.

"He did it!" Lily confirmed happily. Julie suddenly handed Lily a letter.

"He told me to tell you to open it as soon as possible." Julie informed.

Lily opened it with trembling hands, and scanned it. Following it's instructions to a T, she ran up to her room and opened her wizard net book. James was waiting for her.

"_I'm so happy!"_ Lily scribbled hurriedly, bubbling with happiness. "_You did it James I knew you could"._

"_I was so nervous"_ came James reply. "You have no idea. _I was so scared that everyone would deem me a failure but I read your note…and those four words…Do your best James. They…they made me so confident. Thank you Lily."_

Lily blushed as she wrote back "_I knew you could do it James. I'm so happy for you. You should definitely celebrate_."

"_I'm going out with Michael and some business acquaintances to celebrate…." _

Lily thought a moment before suddenly writing._ "I already had dinner….but I still haven't had dessert…I'm going to eat that apple pie my mother sent home with me._"

She didn't know it but James heart skipped a beat. She had subconsciously just referred to HIS home as her home as well for the first time.

"_I….I think I'm going to eat apple pie as well….." _

Lily squealed happily as her heart almost burst with the words 'I love you James' resounding in her brain. She contented herself with suddenly hugging the book to her chest not caring that she was acting like a sappy love struck delusional girl.

"_Remember to add whipped cream."_ Lily finally wrote.

"_I will."_ James assured.

Lily shut the book blissfully as she ran back downstairs to play Scrabble with Aunt Agnes and Julie.

Later that night, Lily sat with the two and ate apple pie with whipped cream.

Lily was surprised to note that she couldn't be happier, even if she had been at home. It also suddenly struck Lily that she would miss all of this when the time to leave came….

OooOOo

By the time James arrived back home, he had learned how to Apparate. Everyone had arrived back from their respective places to go to the mountains. He arrived home late at night. Michael had suggested he go back home the next day but James had been impatient. He arrived home late at night to find everyone asleep with only a house elf awake to greet him. Sighing, James wondered what exactly he had expected, arriving back at 2 am.

Walking towards his room he couldn't help but glance at the door to Lily's room before turning into his own room. If things were different…

James scrunched his eyes up against the thought. Wanting what could never be was pointless. There was no point in thinking that if the two of them had a proper relationship he wouldn't have had any reservations about going into her room to see her.

There was a quiet almost faint tapping on his door which made James stop mid-taking off his tie. He opened his door and was taken aback to see Lily standing in front of him. What surprised him further was the way she suddenly flung herself into his arms, wrapping her arms around his neck, allowing his arms to hesitantly settle at her waist.

"You're back." Lily spoke softly into his shoulder.

James cleared his throat amazed at Lily's display of affection. So did she really still have feelings for him?

"I am." He whispered trying to keep his voice neutral. Unsure of how Lily would react upon hearing the affection in his voice. He felt her take a deep breath in his arms before suddenly stiffening and pulling away.

"Um…I-I-" she stuttered.

James raised an eyebrow teasingly.

"I'll see you tomorrow." She said abruptly before turning and going back into her room, completely flustered.

James watched her leave with a small smile. Maybe she did still have feelings for him. Maybe she just wasn't ready to admit them yet….whatever the case he was willing to wait.

He didn't know that Lily was currently in her room, banging her head against the wall wondering what on earth had gotten into her. Why had she gone to him like that? She had heard his door open and close and whatever she had done, she had done on pure instinct. She needed to be more careful around him but just couldn't help acting the way she did. As Lily closed her eyes to go to sleep that night, she couldn't help but wonder what the future held for her and James.

A/N: ok not quite the chapter I wanted this to be….actually it's nowhere near where I wanted it to be..but…well writers block…recovering from writers block….

This chapter is a mere 14 pages long and even this mere 14 pages was a huge chore to write. Right now we are in relationship limbo with our favorite couple. I think that's what made it so hard to write. However, fear not!! The next chapter is already written…I just need to send it to my beta!!! I actually like the next chapter.

On a lighter note...

Raise your hand if you read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows????OMG wasn't it just awesome?!! I LOVED IT! Do share your views please!!! I bought the book the night it came out at 3 am at walmart (originally I was at borders but the line stretched till 5 in the morning so I left), went home and stayed up reading the book. I went to have lunch with my friend and we actually took turns reading the book!!! Tho I let her read more than me bcoz she was nowhere near where I was (already halfway through the book…yay for me!!). Anyway, yes I know this story is officially DEFINITELY AU now but I shall continue. hehe.


	32. Chapter 32:Lilys Birthday

**A/:Im so sorry for not updating sooner!! No it is not writers block this time. I have to go to college AND I have a job now so I have very little time left for writing. However, every morning I type a little something up. So don't worry….keep checking my bio to know the status of my next chapter!! Review people!! Remember, the more reviews I get, the guiltier I feel for delaying a chapter update!!hehe. Hopefully everyone will love this chapter!**

The place they stayed in at the mountains was way more luxurious than the beach house. Lily later learnt that this was one of James' properties, and was no longer stunned at the fact that the so-called cabin not only had a wizarding sauna and a ball room, but was huge enough for each of them to have their own rooms. "Surprisingly", once again James' room was across from hers.

Lily also couldn't help but notice that something was very odd going on between Remus and Cassidy. They somehow seemed...closer. Yet they were no longer always at each others' side touching, hugging and kissing. Of course the occasional affectionate glance, kiss or hand holding was done but not quite as frequently. But somehow….somehow they seemed closer! Like the need to touch each other all the time was not essential. It was as if they were so sure of each other, of belonging to each other that they didn't need to be with each other all the time__

Many times had Lily been on the verge of asking them about it but something made her hold her tongue. Meanwhile, the boys immersed themselves in a sport called snowboarding. Of the girls, Natalie was the only one actually interested in participating. Hours later, she came back rubbing her bum.

"I fell so many times." She moaned. "How are they so good at it?"

"They probably used magic." Andrea said with a laugh. "Or at least some sort of cushioning charm."

Natalie rubbed her bum sourly. "They could have told me!" she pouted.

"Then they wouldn't have been able to show off." Cassidy said with a small smile.

All the girls laughed in agreement.

OooOo

"What are these called again?" James asked Sirius as he revved up the engine to the strange contraption.

"It's a snowmobile." Sirius replied as he revved up his own engine. "When are you going to finally admit your feelings to Lily?"

James suddenly pretended to become very interested in watching Remus start his own snowmobile up.

Sirius scowled. "Maybe this will speed things along." He muttered, loud enough for James to hear. James watched Sirius take off straight to where the girls were sitting. Slightly alarmed, James was suddenly chasing after Sirius on his own snowmobile wondering exactly what his best mate was planning on doing.

James arrived in time to hear Lily speaking.

"I don't know Sirius..."

"Come on Lily. Just get on." Sirius urged.

Lily hesitantly climbed on behind Sirius. James suddenly felt very odd watching Lily put her arms tentatively around his best mates' waist. Sirius gave him an impish wink before taking off at a speed fast enough to make Lily screech and wrap her arms tightly around Sirius.

James swore under his breath, realizing that Sirius was trying to make him jealous. Dammit, it was working!!

"I want to come too!" exclaimed Rosalyn, hoping James would offer.

"You can get on with me and Cassidy." Remus offered quickly.

Rosalyn looked hesitantly over to James. The space between them had become so much….where she would not have thought twice about getting on behind him, now she thought it over ten times!

"Hurry up and get on if you must." James snapped, still looking into the distance where Lily and Sirius had taken off.

Before Rosalyn could make a move, Natalie was suddenly sitting behind James.

"I'd like to go with James. He's so reckless he needs someone like me to punch him from behind if he goes too fast" Natalie said with fake smile at Rosalyn. "You can go with Peter."

"But-but-" Rosalyn spluttered.

James swore under his breath again as Sirius got farther away and took off. Natalie squealed and grabbed onto his waist. By the time James reached Sirius and Lily, Sirius was going at a rather easygoing pace that didn't require Lily to hold onto him. Her cheeks and nose were pink due to the cold. She was looking skywards with her hands arms stretched out, reveling in the sunlight shining upon her, her auburn hair fluttering in the wind. James felt his breath catch, as he watched her twitch her nose to get rid of a snowflake which had landed upon it. She looked so beautiful with the sunlight resting on her, creating a glowing aura around her with her hair streaming out behind her.

James quickly reverted his eyes to Sirius who was looking at him. Sirius smiled roguishly and suddenly sped up. Lily let out a yell of indignation and grabbed onto his waist. James felt like killing Sirius.

"You could at least warn me!" Lily exclaimed angrily as Sirius suddenly slowed down. Her hands left his waist only to resume their position when Sirius sped up again. He slowed down and sped up so many times on whim that Lily found her arms wrapped tightly around his waist permanently so as not to be caught off guard when he sped up. The last thing she wanted was to fall on her bum in the cold snow.

James swore underneath his breath, realizing that that had been his best mates aim all along.

"Language." Natalie said with a small smile. She had also realized what was going on. Lily was the only one oblivious to it. Natalie put a comforting hand on James shoulder. "Sirius is trying to make you jealous James. Just calm down."

James expelled a deep breath trying to calm himself down. All of that went down the drain the moment Sirius said-

"Do you want to learn how to drive this thing?"

"Sure!" Lily exclaimed happily.

"No!" James exclaimed, an inexplicable fear entering his heart. "It's dangerous!"

Lily cast James a skeptical look. "James I highly doubt I will die from riding a snowmobile."

"Sirius is so reckless-"

"Hey!" Sirius cut him off indignantly.

James ignored Sirius and looked at Lily. Lily gave James a haughty glare before switching places on the snowmobile with Sirius and taking off.

James sped off after them and when he finally caught up he found himself duly impressed. Lily was a very fast learner. Even he had never ridden these things before and it had taken awhile to get the hang of them.

"Have you done this before?" James yelled at Lily while tailing her. She swerved skillfully and James followed.

"Nop!" Lily exclaimed happily as she slowed down, allowing James to catch up with her. "How about a race?" she proposed, stopping at a tree. "From here all the way back to where Andrea is sitting."

James looked at her skeptically. "Lily I don't think-"

"Afraid to lose?" Lily challenged.

"On 3." James replied automatically.

Natalie counted down and upon the fateful three both snowmobiles sped off going as fast as they could.

OoooOO

"It was so much fun!" Lily exclaimed later on that night as she sat next to the fire in their cabin. She had just emerged from her shower and was in a cream colored robe, her pale blue silk pajamas peeking from underneath her robe gave a regal sort of contrast to her attire, with her wet hair swept to one side as she ran a comb through it, trying to dry it in front of the fire naturally.

James merely grunted.

"He's still sore about losing." Natalie teased.

"How about a rematch tomorrow?" Lily stated happily.

"Tomorrow's your birthday." James said loftily. "I wouldn't want to make you lose on your birthday."

Lily hmphed.

"Like you could even if you tried. I beat you today fair and square James Potter."

James looked at Lily mischievously, waved his wand and caused a gush of wind to blow around her. She then felt a hand tug her hair like the last time James had used this charm.

"What is that charm you use?" Lily demanded. "And how did you-"

There was a sudden "OH!" from where Rosalyn was sitting. Everyone turned to peer at her and the look on her face was one of pure anguish.

"You're using THAT charm." Rosalyn said looking at James accusingly. She suddenly stood up and left the room.

"What was that all about?" Andrea inquired.

James put his wand away hastily. "Er…nothing." He ended lamely and quickly changed the subject. "So Lily, you'll finally be 17 tomorrow." James teased. "You're the only underage 7th year witch left among us."

Lily shot him a glare while the rest knew that James was trying to move everyone's thoughts away from what had just happened.

Sirius had other ideas than just sitting around and talking, though. He turned to Andrea and inquired whether she'd like to go with him to the wizarding bar situated at the top of the mountain. At that moment Natalie decided to turn in while Remus asked Cassidy to go for a walk with him. Lily could tell that Remus and Cassidy had been dying to get sometime alone; she could also tell that Sirius wanted to spend time alone with Andrea. In the end Peter, Rosalyn, James and Lily were left sitting around the fireplace. Lily watched Sirius and Andrea leave, wanting to go with them, to get out of the cabin but she didn't want to intrude on their private time with each other. They weren't a couple but they might as well have been one.

An idea suddenly popped into Lily's mind. She could go down to the bar alone! After a suitable amount of time had passed, she would get Natalie to go with her down to the bar. They had read about it in a pamphlet. It was supposed to have live music as well and ghosts as bartenders. Lily racked her brain for what else she had read about the bar and with a sinking feeling remembered that only wizards 17 and over were allowed. Well, she would turn 17 at exactly midnight….

Lily glanced up at the clock and stifled a groan; it was only 9 o clock!!

Feigning exhaustion she made her way towards her room, passing Julie on the way who said she was going to go spend the night with Michael in Germany. Lily suddenly got it into her mind that everyone was having fun except for her. As she lay in her bed wondering why life was being so unfair, she heard footsteps and then the door to James room open. Lily jumped up and ran to open the door, catching James just before he shut the door.

"Aren't you asleep yet?" James asked blinking in surprise.

"I need a favor." Lily said urgently and beckoned him into her room. James entered hesitantly wondering what exactly she-

"Sneak me into that wizarding bar Sirius took Andrea to."

"What?!" James asked totally taken aback. Had she gone mad?

"James, please!" Lily pleaded.

"No!" James said aghast at what Lily was asking him to do. Didn't she know that now she was his responsibility? If anything happened to her…

"I'm not sneaking you in." James said adamantly. "That place doesn't have a good crowd. I don't know what Sirius was thinking when he took Andrea there. Vampires and ghouls are its main visitors. Only the shadiest sorts of people go there nowadays. It's not safe and you're not even 17 yet! Do you know how much trouble you could get into if you went there and someone discovered you were under 17?"

"Well I'm going to go anyway!" Lily exclaimed, angry that James was denying her his help. "I know your invisibility cloak is somewhere in your room!" she began to stalk towards her door to open it. "I'll find it and-"

"You'll do nothing of the sort." James growled, grabbing her wrists and pulling her up against him. "You're going to stay here and wait until tomorrow. I'll take you tomorrow Lily. At least that way you're not breaking the damn law!"

"I want to go now!" Lily yelled angrily, like an angry child and totally out of character. "It's my birthday tomorrow and-"

"And I said I'd take you tomorrow!" James snapped back.

Lily stomped on his foot making him pull away from her and let her go. She turned again to leave but found that James had suddenly scooped her up and thrown her over his shoulder.

"Lily you've lost it." James muttered as she began to thrash around. "Try to be reasonable for just a second. You can go tomo-"

"Everyone!" Lily exclaimed, thrashing with such force that James had to throw her onto the bed. "Everyone is out having fun except me!"

"I'm still here." James provided, looking down at her as she sat up in bed.

"And you." Lily agreed.

"Natalie's still here."

"She's probably trying to figure out a way to get Kingsley." Lily replied bitterly.

"Rosalyn and Peter." James finally ended.

Lily flinched at the mention of Rosalyn's name. James softened and sat down on the bed to look Lily in the eye. "What's wrong Red?" James asked softly.

Lily looked up at him, surprised to hear the long forgotten pet name he had had for her on his lips.

"Sirius is with Andrea." She said quietly.

James nodded, starting to understand where this was going.

"Remus is with Cassidy…" she trailed off. "They're all doing their own thing. Pretty soon Natalie is going to be with Kingsley, Peter will find someone, you'll get back with Rosalyn and I'll be alone."

"I won't be getting back with Rosalyn if I can help it." James stated harshly.

"I don't care." Lily muttered unconvincingly. She saw that James had let his guard down. "I still want to go." She said very fast and tried to make a run for it. James grabbed her just in time and pinned her underneath him on the bed, pinning her hands above her head.

"You're going to stay put." James said harshly. "And stop acting like a 5 year old. Lily what is wrong with you? You're not acting like a soon to be adult wizard."

Lily looked up at James defiantly before realizing that he was right. Right now she was acting like a spoiled little-

The door suddenly opened and both teenagers heard a shriek from Julie.

"What are you two doing?! IN bed?!" she exclaimed shrilly. She marched over and pulled James off of Lily. "Have you gone insane?!" Julie yelled. "You know you're not allowed to…she…." Julie raged incoherently.

"We weren't doing anything Julie." James explained quietly.

"Oh is that what you call you, her bed and raging hormones?" Julie inquired sarcastically.

"It wasn't-it wasn't what it looked like." Lily finally spoke up. "I was being stupid. James was trying to knock some sense into me…he…we….I mean…he was trying to stop me from going somewhere."

Julie looked at the two skeptically, not willing to believe such a story.

"It's the truth!" James exclaimed defensively. "If I had wanted to…with her….I wouldn't have let a stupid contract stop me!" and with that he stormed out of the room and into his own.

Julie turned to look at Lily speculatively while Lily looked at her hands, beet red from the admission James had just made.

"It really wasn't what it looked like." Lily spoke up again quietly.

"Maybe it wasn't." Julie agreed just as quietly.

Lily suddenly looked up. "I thought you were going to Germany."

Julie smiled. "I am. I came back to get my wand. Can you believe I actually forgot it? Anyway I heard screaming in your room so I wanted to make sure everything was all right…then I heard James in your room and…I guess I panicked."

"He comes into my room often." Lily suddenly said. Julie looked at her sharply.

Lily blushed. "Not..not for that...but…we talk sometimes…and he comes into my room to talk to me…"

Julie hugged Lily. "I trust you Lily and I trust my brother. I'm sorry for my lapse in trust."

"It's all right." Lily murmured, hugging Julie back before letting her go and allowing her to leave.

OOoOoOoo

Lily awoke the next day to be greeted by a huge pile of presents on the breakfast table as she entered for breakfast. Suddenly, everyone was hugging her and wishing her Happy Birthday, urging her to open her presents. Laughing, Lily opened her presents over breakfast thanking everyone and gazing at Sirius disapprovingly when she opened his gift of red and gold lingerie.

"You'll need it someday." Sirius joked. Lily glowered at him. "No sense of humor." Sirius said with a sigh and tapped the offending garment. Lily suddenly held a gold necklace encrusted with red rubies. Her small gasp of pleasure and then fierce hug directed at Sirius was enough to make James grip his glass of orange juice hard enough to turn his knuckles white. Why did he always give her gifts that made her so damn happy? Why couldn't she react the same way when he….and then James stomach suddenly flip flopped as he remembered that last time he had not even given her a gift for Christmas in his anger. He had planned on it but at the last moment disabled the charm that would send Lily her gift once she fell asleep. He, of course had been under the illusion that she had given his family heirloom to Cassidy.

James was suddenly taken aback as he felt Lily wrap her arms around him.

"Thank you." Lily murmured with a giggle, pulling back from James arms, though he didn't want her too. She held up the snow globe inside of which lay the Eiffel tower.

"You need to shake it 7 times." James mumbled. "And it will transport you directly to the Eiffel tower." He smiled at her helplessly. "It's not exactly the Eiffel tower itself but at least you can go visit without having to go through all those apparition ports when apparating from country to country."

"How did you get a hold of something like this?" Lily asked incredulously.

James shrugged. "I pulled a few strings, had it custom made…"he trailed off. "The catch however is that you can't take anyone else with you. It has to be you. Too many risks if they allowed you to bring a friend. The snow globe will only activate at your touch Lily. It works kind of like a snitch." James said with a wry smile. "No one has ever touched it before; you were the first to touch it. It will recognize your touch from now on and you are the only one allowed to be transported by it. Everyone else that handled it, it handled it with gloves."

Lily laughed. "Trust you to incorporate quidditch into this." Lily said with a smile.

James gave her a small smile, deciding to tell her that he had tweaked it a little bit to allow only him to be transported with her. He held his tongue as Lily continued opening her presents. James watched with content as her eyes shone brighter with each present she opened.

OoOOoOoOoOo

"Julie gave you an awfully…intimate gift." Andrea said carefully, plopping down beside Lily that afternoon. Everyone else was trying to learn how to snowboard.

Lily laughed as she remembered Julie's gift. It had been a diamond tiara that had belonged to James great grandmother. Julie told her it was in actuality a family heirloom.

"I liked it." Lily said with a smile. Though she knew she would probably never get a chance to wear something as elaborate.

"It belonged to James Great grandmother." Andrea cut in slowly. "Lily, I-what I'm trying to tell you is that maybe….maybe you should give yourself and James another chance. His family obviously loves you. They treat you as if you're a permanent member of their family now." Andrea glanced over at Lily expectantly to see Lily looking at her feet, her hair falling around her as she lightly kicked at some snow.

"He doesn't even….and….I don't think James would ever seriously consider staying with me." Lily finally ended not looking at Andrea. There was a pause as an owl suddenly landed beside Lily with some mail for her. She stroked the owls feathers, relieving it of its burden but not examining the package and letter she now held in her hands. "He might say he wants to but at the end of the day Andrea, he left me to see if what he had with Rosalyn and himself was worth pursuing. Whether it was or not is his problem. I don't trust him anymore. How can I be sure that tomorrow he won't leave me to pursue someone else?" Lily murmured. "I won't take the risk Andrea."

With that Lily stood up, taking her new parcel which she knew, and Andrea assumed was from her parents, and went back inside.

A few hours later she began her search for James but whoever she asked said that they hadn't seen him. Lily finally found Sirius and James at the top of some unnamed hill, ready to snowboard down it.

"James I've been looking everywhere for you!" Lily exclaimed angrily as she faced him. Sirius who had been about to take off down the hill turned and opened his mouth to say something.

"Shut it." James snapped, looking at Sirius. Sirius shut his mouth and went back to concentrating on getting ready to go down the hill.

"What's up?" James asked, turning to look at Lily.

A small snicker from Sirius, suddenly told James what his best mates reply was going to be.

"If you open your mouth you won't get to choose when you go down that hill." James threatened. Sirius may be his best mate but he was actually quite miffed at the fact that Sirius was trying to make him jealous by flirting with Lily.

"My parents want us to come visit them for a night before we go back to Hogwarts." Lily said to James, expectantly.

Sirius suddenly turned back to stare at James. "Haven't you told her Prongs?"

"Told me what?" Lily asked looking at James.

"There's actually a dance off going on at Hogwarts." James replied. "It starts a week before school does. It's an international event and not open to the school of Hogwarts but rather to Ministry Officials, their families, friends of the ministry, as well as ministry officials from other countries. It is a way to…promote alliances among different nations." James quoted from the card he had gotten.

"You got an invite." Lily ended.

James gave her a small grin.

"You're not even a member of the Ministry!" Lily exclaimed.

"My family, however, is known for donating large amounts of money to the Ministry." James corrected with a cheeky grin. "Of course they're going to invite me. They want more donations!"

Lily hmphed and glanced over at Sirius. "What about you Sirius?"

James laughed. "I sent a letter to the Head of foreign affairs. His group is the one organizing this. Sirius as well as everyone else also got an invite."

Lily smiled. "This will be fun!" and then she sobered "What about my parents…"

"We'll stop by before we go to Hogwarts." James added hastily.

"Prongs never wants to miss a chance to see his in-laws." Sirius replied audaciously.

Before James could even react, Lily gave Sirius a hard shove down the hill. They heard his yells for a good few minutes until he finally regained his senses and was able to steer properly.

"Show off." Lily muttered as she watched Sirius do a complicated zigzag. "I know you guys are using charms on your boards."

"What would ever make you think that?" James asked innocently.

Lily gave him a look. James grinned sheepishly.

"I knew it!" Lily ended triumphantly.

"So uh…-" James searched for a change of subject and finally landed upon one. "What did your parents get you for your birthday?" he inquired.

Lily felt the starting of a blush on her cheeks.

"A golden locket with a lily pendant." Lily said, not mentioning the package had also contained newborn baby clothes and a note from her mum saying she hoped Lily could put those to good use.

"You're getting a lot of jewelry this year." James teased. "I'm happy I didn't get you jewelry. You would have gotten it mixed up with the rest of your gifts."

Lily laughed. "I like the jewelry. I don't mind. Though, I did really like your gift James." Lily suddenly took the snow globe out from a pocket in her robe. She shook the thing a few times to get the snow to fall around the Eiffel tower.

"Erm…there was another thing I forgot to tell you." James ended. Lily caught him suddenly sneaking a peek at his watch. "It's a good thing you found me." He finally said looking up from his watch. With a little lurch Lily realized it was the watch Rosalyn had given him for Christmas.

"Why is that?" Lily inquired trying to sound nonchalant.

"There's something I forgot to tell you about this snow globe." James said, getting off of his snowboard and coming to stand directly beside her. Lily had to double check herself to stop from leaning into him. "See half of the globe-" he suddenly snaked his arm around Lily's back and reached out to touch the right side, pulling Lily close against him. "-recognizes my touch." He ended with a murmur, his senses delighting in Lily being so near him now.

"Some gift." Lily said cheekily, trying to ignore his dizzying proximity. "You bought it for yourself just as much as you bought it for me."

James chuckled, rubbing his chin against the top of her head, he heard Lily's breath catch but she made no move to pull away so he did not change his position-with his arm practically wrapped across her waist as rested on the snow globe.

"I can only be transported though if I'm with you. You can go whenever you want sweetheart." He ended huskily, not believing that Lily was suddenly leaning against him of her own free will.

Lily took a deep breath trying to knock some sense into herself, what was she doing?!

"I arranged for…something." James ended quietly, his hand still resting against the snow globe. "Shake it 7 times Lily."

Lily obeyed and suddenly found herself at the top of the Eiffel tower.

"This is a one time thing." James said quietly. "Next time you'll have to pay the fee just like everyone else. You won't be transported to the top either."

"I don't care." Lily murmured in awe, as she looked down at the beautiful city. "This is….James…wow…!"

He suddenly wrapped his other arm around Lily as well and inhaled her scent as she gazed down from the top of the Eiffel tower. Then, without warning, fireworks started to go off and Lily sighed in pleasure as she watched the magnificent array of colors fill the sky. James smiled, knowing that she still had no clue that this was what he had arranged. However, when gold fireworks filled the sky to form the words Happy Birthday Lily, he watched in pleasure as Lily turned bright pink. She turned her head to look at James with wide eyes filled with disbelief.

"You did all this for me?" Lily whispered, looking up at him.

James could only bring himself to nod because the way she was looking at him was enough to bring him to his knees. He wanted to kiss her right now, right here and-

Lily let out a yelp and James tightened his grip around her in alarm as a firework came and exploded over their heads only to let a shower of rose petals fall over them. James smiled to himself as Lily held out her hands to catch the rose petals. He did not remove his arms from around her as she looked on with girlish delight as more fireworks went off. He thought he could never love anyone as much as he did right now. Just watching her pleasure as the fireworks shone their light on her face was enough to make James never want this moment to end. Finally, as the fireworks died down and the last of the rose petals fell around them he spoke.

"Happy Birthday Lily." He murmured softly in her ear. 'I love you so much' he thought to himself, gazing down at her, wanting to hold her closer….

It registered in his mind that Lily had suddenly stiffened in his grasp. He suddenly realized that he had just said 'I love you' out loud. He waited for the dread to mount in his stomach. The dread of telling her too soon and not waiting but instead he only felt relief. Relief that he had finally told her and that the glimmer of hope he had been carrying in secret was out in the open now.

"Lily." James prodded, knowing that he was expecting too much too soon. She wasn't even looking at him. She was looking the other way, her head down and body stiff. She suddenly turned to look at him and James saw a tempest of confusion in her eyes.

"James I-" Lily began with a shaky voice.

"Shhh." He whispered, putting a finger to her lips. He knew what she was about to say. He didn't want to hear it. He didn't want to hear 'James I can't' from Lily…anyone but Lily…but not Lily. "It's OK." He whispered. "You don't have to say it back Lily. I just want you to know how I feel. You don't…it's all right. But I really love you." He said with a smile, not wanting to ever stop saying it to her.

Lily looked at him so unsure and suspicious that James thought she was going to tell him to get lost.

"How do you know?" Lily finally asked.

"Because I never stopped loving you." He replied. "It's grown in me, day by day, until I'm overflowing with it. I-Lily I'm sorry about Rosa-" and suddenly he stopped as he watched her gaze drop to the watch Rosalyn had given him. James felt a sort of sinking feeling in his stomach. No matter what, would this mistake always be with him forever?

"Lily,no." James pleaded, suddenly moving to take the watch off. "This-" he said slipping the watch off in front of her eyes. "-is nothing compared to what I feel for you. Please don't…..she was a mistake. A huge mistake. I'm so sorry." He repeated.

"Sometimes-" Lily began quietly, revealing more than she had ever intended to. "-I can't help but think of the two of you together. You left me for her. It's made me so insecure as far as you and me are concerned. I won't risk being left alone again James. I can't….I mean….I don't want to live with this fear in a relationship. It's unhealthy.James in all actuality…you never really lost my heart, you lost my respect. It may be easy to win someone's heart, but it's not easy to win someone's respect, especially after you lose It." Lily ended quietly, not meeting his gaze.

James looked at her speechless, suddenly realizing the true impact of the decision he had made so long ago.

"I was confused Lily. You seemed so different from the Liz I had gotten to know on wizard net. I-I couldn't bring you two-Liz and Lily- together at the time. You two were still separate entities in my mind and it was confusing. Whenever I thought of you romantically it was only as Liz, never as Lily. I couldn't find the Liz I had gotten to know in you and then I saw Rosalyn and she was just so much more different than what I had ever known. I felt an attraction towards her that I didn't feel towards you at the time Lily because I couldn't think of you as Liz. It was all a mistake." He ended quietly. "And it won't happen again. I don't think of you as Liz anymore Lily. To me you're Lily and you're even more perfect than the Liz I had grown to love. I love the way you smile, the way you laugh….with Liz I loved reading her letters and chatting with her on Wizardnet…I loved the conversations we had….and with you Lily it's so much more. It's not only the conversation we have that I love, it's the things we do together, the times we touch each other…Lily I.."

He suddenly pulled Lily into a fierce hug. "I love you." He repeated not bothering to hide the emotion in his voice.

Maybe it was his tone in the end more than anything else that made Lily relax in his arms. He pulled her tighter against him.

"I want to see you all the time." He murmured. "I want to be able to hold you like this all the time." He suddenly felt her tensing up again in his arms and quickly yet soothingly spoke, " I'm not expecting you to say I love you too Lily. It's all right."

If possible Lily relaxed further in his arms. James couldn't help but notice however, that Lily didn't bring her arms to wrap around him. She didn't hug him back and that's when James realized that a mere confession was not going to make things right with him and Lily.

She was still too insecure and unsure. He had to show her….James clutched her tighter…because the thought of losing her now was too much.

Lily abruptly pulled away after a minute.

"We should be getting back." She ended lamely, holding her snow globe out for James to touch. He touched it, staring at her and not bothering anymore to hide his emotions from her. Lily looked away unwilling yet to believe that James eyes spoke the truth-he loved her, he truly loved her.

**Below is the conversation me and my beta had while emailing this chapter to each other!! I think it is hilarious. **

A/N:wow I actually got a little teary eyed around the end!!!

B/N(beta note):Sissy.

A/N: Just because you have the emotional range of a teaspoon, doesn't mean that….

B/N: Sissy.

A/N: w/e

B/N: Sissy.


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